Meet Dr. Dufresne, DDS – A Chimp Dentist
Where might you find a chimp dentist? One is closer than you might think! Like a lot volunteers at Project Chimps, Dr. Joe Dufresne wears many hats. On an average day, you might find him painting or helping with some other type of maintenance work, and he has even served as the driver of the transport truck that brings new chimpanzees to the sanctuary.
But Joe’s most valuable contributions to Project Chimps may come from the field where he spent his 43-year professional career — dentistry.
The chimp dentist is in
“Dr. Dufresne has been a wonderful asset,” said Dr. Jessica Silver, Director of Chimp Care. “Not only an incredibly smart and talented dentist, he is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is here to help ensure that each chimp gets the best dental care possible. If only we could teach them all to brush!”
Joe, a native of Texas, has spent most of his life in Georgia and operated his own general dentistry practice in the Atlanta area for about 30 years. His work at Project Chimps followed in the footsteps of his wife, Gail, who became a volunteer soon after the sanctuary opened in 2016.
A tooth is a tooth
Chimpanzees have remarkably similar mouths to humans, including the exact same number of teeth. They also suffer from similar dental issues to humans, such as tartar, gingivitis and periodontal disease. If left untreated, those problems can result in abscesses and tooth loss.
Chimp mouths are larger than human mouths, as are their teeth, but that does not always mean there’s more work to do. They don’t need to see the chimp dentist quite as often as you or I might see our dentist. According to Joe, the chimps’ dental health is good overall, apart from occasional tooth damage and breakage due to rough play.
“I have been impressed with how good their oral condition is,” Joe said. “Their dental health is actually better than many humans I’ve worked on. Their diet of so many raw vegetables really does keep the plaque down.”
The importance of good oral health goes beyond the mouth, as gum disease is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. February is Heart Health Month, reminding us that heart disease kills more people than all forms of cancer combined. It is also the leading cause of death in our closest relative, the chimpanzee.
“There’s a link between the bacteria and inflammation in the mouth — gum disease — and as a result of that, it can actually increase arteriosclerosis (the thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries),” Joe said. “Having clean mouths is part of overall health.”
Joe said he enjoys filling the role of the chimp dentist as part of “a great group of professionals” with various medical specialties assembled by Dr. Silver and Executive Director Ali Crumpacker. He does, however, miss one very specific part of working with his human patients.
“I do miss not asking my patients questions when their mouth is full of instruments,” Joe said with a grin.
Learn more about our medical program here.