Often overshadowed by his older and widely praised brother, Davy, Randy Crockett enjoyed a successful career as both a frontiersman and the nation’s first wilderness dentist. Most Oral Historians agree his impact on the Veterinary dentistry field was substantial.
Frontiersman, dentist and orthodontist Randy Crockett lived in Coma from 1827 – 1835.
The younger Crockett, who settled in Coma in 1827, built a successful animal dentistry practice and is credited with using his ax to remove plaque and tartar build-up. Although this technique fell out of favor due to high patient mortality rates, Crockett was viewed by many as a pioneer in pushing the science of Veterinary dentistry forward.
Crockett lived in Coma from 1827 until 1835. In that time, he performed more than three dozen successful root canals on a range of animals including pigs, donkeys, coyotes and a small family of chipmunks.
Crockett, who struggled to earn money from his dental practice, as most clients were not in a position to afford care, left Coma in 1835 and went on to open a first-of-its-kind drive thru restaurant, which offered salt pork, a variety of root vegetables and maple syrup brought to you while you waited in your Conestoga wagon.
Stan Bargemeyer is a local historian and Coma News Intern
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