Five students have shared recognition in the annual wire sculpture competition conducted by the School of Dentistry’s Department of Orthodontics.
Held since 1966, the popular contest for first-year residents requires entrants to use primarily orthodontic materials, such as wire, rubber bands, and dental acrylic. The resulting sculptures have included everything from a model town to the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Lion King.
This year’s entries included:
First Tracks by Dr. Lauren Hagel Blanchard. Her comment: “I have been skiing since I was 3 years old and as a child, most Sundays from November until late March included waking up before sunrise on Sunday mornings, jumping in the car, and driving to Alpental or Stevens Pass so that we could get ‘first tracks’ in the fresh powder.”
Fresh Balsam by Dr. Jessica Collins. Her comment: “I decided to make a balsam tree because it reminds me of the joys of the holiday season. One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is burn tree-scented candles. My favorite candle at Christmastime is called Fresh Balsam.”
Bailey by Dr. Sara Finkleman. Her comment: “For my wire-bending project, I wanted to make an abstract representation of something commonplace: man’s (or woman’s) best friend. The name ‘basset’ is derived from the French word bas, which means low, and the suffix -et, which means rather. I chose a basset hound because of this breed’s distinctive appearance, which is characterized by their short stature and long, floppy ears. Basset hounds are known to be docile and friendly, but can also be stubborn at times.”
Tooth with Orthodontic Bracket by Dr. Erica Frenkel. Her comment: “I wanted to be an orthodontist since I was 12 years old, so I made a wire sculpture representing how grateful I am to be a part of the University of Washington Ortho program!”
The Beauty of Nature by Dr. Anna Morrow. Her comment: “The orchid is a great example of stunning beauty that was created by nature. It is an elegant and almost perfect flower with many colors and shapes. No other flower looks quite like an orchid. It combines both genteel and wild at the same time. Everyone can find something to love about the orchid.”
The late Dr. Ben Moffett, a School of Dentistry professor emeritus of orthodontics, is credited with inspiring the competition. In the 1960s, he took a UW art class in form and function and found the material so helpful that he arranged for weekly lectures on the subject at the School of Dentistry. These struck a special chord with the orthodontics department, and eventually led to the contest.