Soon after I arrived in Minot in 1977, Dr. Vern Reardon contacted me about the monthly meeting of the Minot Dental Society. The group gathered at the Sheraton Riverside the first Wednesday every month for dinner and an educational presentation by one of the members. I looked forward to meeting and getting to know Minot dentists.

Dr. Reardon met me a bit early outside the restaurant and introduced each dentist as they arrived. One of them was Dr. Peter Vandenoever, the scheduled speaker for the evening. He had practiced dentistry for several decades in downtown Minot at that time. Visiting with him over dinner, I learned that Dr. Vandenoever had a long-established routine of working until 11 a.m., going home for lunch and a nap, then returning to work at 3 p.m. to finish his day’s work.

When Vandenoever began the evening’s educational program, he focused on fabrication of full dentures – and the importance of a proper fit as well as assuring stability and function.

“It’s not always easy to do this for patients who have worn dentures for a very long time,” he explained. “I have a unique and quite successful technique that assures patients won’t suffer loose, ill-fitting dentures. With my method, your patients can forget about adhesives once you’ve learned the right way to gain denture stability. I’m going to show you how it’s done.”

Vandenoever continued with details on how to make molds of upper and lower bony ridges no longer possessing any teeth. “I use thermal sensitive impression compound, warming it to exactly 128 degrees Fahrenheit. Then using those, I construct custom fit impression trays used for final upper and lower molds with silicone impression material.”

Considering what dental schools taught at the time, there was nothing special about his approach to making dentures. He went on. “Once the dentures are constructed, you’re ready for the most important part of the process — insertion and fitting.”

“Before delivering the new dentures, the patient needs to drink one twelve-ounce glass of water mixed with polyethylene-glycol and sodium phosphate — as used prior to a colonoscopy. While that begins to work, drill a two-millimeter hole through both right and left sides of the lower denture exactly here.” He pointed to a location behind the last molar on each side of a lower denture. “Now, you’ll need two four-foot lengths of 1.75-millimeter diameter nylon cord exactly like this.” He held up a ball of it. “It’s very important you use this brand. Thread one end of each cord through the separate holes drilled in the lower denture like this, then tie a knot in the end of the cord, removing any excess.” Those in the room looked quizzically at each other, not familiar with the idea and wondering where things were going.

“Now, you will also need a supply of three-quarter inch stainless-steel nuts like this one.” He held up the nut and explained that every hardware store in town carried them. “Don’t forget, it’s important to use stainless steel. Take the other ends of both cords, thread them through the nut and securely tie cords to the nut like this before trimming excess again. Now you are ready to insert the dentures.” Listeners’ heads swiveled with raised eyebrows again.

Vandenoever continued. “By now the polyethylene-glycol/sodium phosphate cocktail is taking effect. Place the cord and nut — rolled up like this — as far back on the tongue as possible, then give it a little shove so the patient swallows it. Before long the nut will emerge from the other end. Give it two or three good yanks to be sure the cord is taut. Now… your patient will never again have trouble keeping the lower denture in place.”

The group erupted into laughter and applause. Vandenoever was never without a story to tell. The one offered that night may have been hard to swallow, but everything came out all right in the end.