The Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry holds an extensive historical collection. This includes many examples of teeth from different animals as these specimens were used in previous times to demonstrate comparative anatomy across the kingdoms of life. The collection was built largely by John Humphreys, one of the founders of the University of Birmingham and curator of the original Dental museum (appointed 1887). An original catalogue from 1916 lists many fascinating objects, including those on display in the Open Wide space. More of this collection can also be seen on display in the Lapworth Museum of Geology on the main university campus.

On display in the current exhibition are a shark’s jaw, pike head, saw fish rostral teeth, tooth plates from a ray and the head from a Hydrocyon goliath (or giant tiger fish)