See your dentist
Public health poster: a laughing and a weeping theatre mask hang side by side from a nail under the headline 'See your dentist', with the line 'to prevent pain and control infection'. The contrast of the two faces sets comfort against suffering, a mild fear-appeal; a small inset reads 'hold on to your teeth'.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1699 (NAID 515370).
Text on the object
See your dentist to prevent pain and control infection * for more information read— hold on to your teeth [signature: illegible] Federal Security Agency WH23—U. S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ☆ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944—O—587508
