What Is The Tooth Will Out About?
The premise of The Tooth Will Out in 268 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the chaotic world of The Tooth Will Out, Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard navigate a life where steady employment is fleeting and disaster is always just around the corner. After a streak of bad luck involving broken dishes and angry employers, the trio finds themselves dodging cleavers and seeking sanctuary in the unlikeliest of havens—a dental office. Desperate for a new direction and a place to hide, they decide to swap their lives of manual labor for the white coats of dentistry, embarking on a career change that seems destined for trouble from the very start.
Training under the guidance of Dr. Keefer, the Stooges attempt to absorb the intricacies of oral hygiene with varying degrees of success. Their journey eventually takes them far from the city’s chaos to a quiet western town, where they hope to establish a frontier practice free from the ghosts of jobs past. The frontier setting promises a fresh start and a forgiving audience, yet the transition does little to mitigate their inherent propensity for slapstick mishaps, creating an atmosphere where professional ambition constantly wars with natural incompetence.
As they hang their shingle and await their first customers, the mood shifts from hopeful to hilariously tense. The arrival of patients seeking relief brings their lack of training into sharp focus, particularly when Shemp’s reliance on questionable reading materials threatens to turn routine procedures into construction projects. With a town full of potential patients and a manual better suited for building birdhouses than pulling teeth, the stage is set for a comedic confrontation that tests the limits of their new profession.
What Happens in The Tooth Will Out?
The complete story of The Tooth Will Out, from the first scene to the last, in 221 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Following dismissal from two jobs due to dish-breaking incidents in a dish shop and restaurant, the Stooges—Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard—are driven into hiding by an irate chef with a cleaver, ultimately seeking refuge in a dental office. There, they decide to reinvent themselves by pursuing dentistry, training under Dr. Keefer, a Professor of Dentistry, played by Vernon Dent.
Their first venture as practicing dentists takes them to a quiet western town, where their very first patient arrives with a minor tooth ailment. Despite their best intentions, the missteps begin almost at once, and the treatment administered by Shemp goes awry, producing unexpected smoke that curls from the patient’s mouth, signaling the chaos that follows their clinical efforts. The scene blends humor with chaos as the trio scrambles to recover from the early blunders.
Trouble intensifies when a man who claims to be the Sheriff visits seeking dental relief for a severe toothache. Under mounting pressure, Shemp accidentally consults the wrong manual—the Amateur Carpenter instead of the proper guide, How to Be a Dentist—and improvises with approaches that prove ill suited for dental work. Even after they attempt to correct their method, a mishap during the extraction escalates the situation and prompts the Sheriff to take drastic measures, culminating in a comic confrontation between the Stooges and the law.
The Tooth Will Out Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Dismissed from their jobs for dish-breaking incidents” to “Aftermath and uncertain future”. 11 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Dismissed from their jobs for dish-breaking incidents
The Stooges are fired from a dish shop and a restaurant after repeated dish-breaking incidents. Their incompetence leads to termination and sets the tone for their comical misadventures. An irate chef with a cleaver begins pursuing them.
When:Opening Where:Dish shop and restaurant
- 2
Seek refuge in a dental office
Seeking refuge from the pursuing chef, the Stooges hide in a dental office. There, they discover the possibility of a new, less volatile career in dentistry. The setting marks a shift from culinary chaos to professional training.
When:After fleeing Where:Dental office
- 3
Decide to pursue dentistry and enroll
The Stooges decide to pursue dentistry as a career and enroll in dental school under Dr. Keefer, a professor of dentistry. They begin their formal training, learning the basics that will shape their future practice. The enrollment signals the turning point from stunt-focused mischief to a professional path.
When:During training Where:Dental school
- 4
Graduate from dental school under Dr. Keefer
Under Dr. Keefer's supervision, they complete the dental program and graduate from dental school. The achievement cements their status as trained dentists, despite their prior misadventures. The graduation sets the stage for their first professional foray.
When:Graduation Where:Dental school
- 5
First venture as practicing dentists in a western town
Their first venture as practicing dentists takes them to a tranquil western town. They encounter their first patient with a minor tooth ailment and prepare to demonstrate their skills. The experience foreshadows the comic trouble to come.
When:First practice day Where:Quiet western town
- 6
Shemp's misstep leads to unexpected smoke
Dr. Shemp's treatment for the first patient goes awry, producing smoke from the patient's mouth rather than relief. The incident highlights the dangers of inexperience and heightens public doubt. The Stooges struggle to maintain composure under scrutiny.
When:Early during practice Where:Western town dental clinic
- 7
A Sheriff seeks dental help
An agitated man, claiming to be the Sheriff, arrives seeking dental aid for a severe toothache. The visit intensifies the pressure on the Stooges and puts their training to the test. The confrontation foreshadows the clash with local authorities.
When:During case Where:Dental clinic, Western town
- 8
Wrong manual chosen
In a moment of panic, Shemp consults the wrong instructional manual, The Amateur Carpenter, instead of How to Be a Dentist. This misdirection leads to improper treatment ideas. The mix of incompetence and misdirection drives the ensuing mishap.
When:During preparation Where:Dental office
- 9
Extraction mishap
The plan for a tooth extraction goes wrong due to the faulty methods, complicating the Sheriff’s toothache further. The scene showcases the trio's escalating chaos and their struggle to salvage the procedure. The townspeople watch as the situation spirals.
When:During procedure Where:Dental office
- 10
Confrontation with law enforcement
The Sheriff escalates the situation and confronts the Stooges, leading to a tense showdown. The confrontation embodies the comic clash between the Stooges and formal authority. It marks a turning point in their Western town misadventure.
When:Climax of confrontation Where:Street outside the dental office
- 11
Aftermath and uncertain future
The confrontation ends the immediate chaos, leaving the Stooges with the consequences of their dental misadventures. Their future in dentistry remains uncertain, but the seeds of further chaos are sown.
When:Aftermath Where:Western town
Who Are the Main Characters in The Tooth Will Out?
4 characters, among them Moe Howard as Moe, Larry Fine as Larry and Shemp Howard as Shemp: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- MH
Moe Howard as Moe
Played by Moe Howard
Moe is the quick-tempered ringleader whose practical drive pushes the trio toward dentistry. He navigates the chaos with stubborn determination, often reacting first and thinking later, which fuels the slapstick misadventures.
- 🎭 Comedy
- 🦷 Dentist
- LF
Larry Fine as Larry
Played by Larry Fine
Larry provides the easygoing, bumbling counterbalance to Moe's intensity. He contributes to the mishaps with a laid-back attitude and willingness to jump into dental trials despite uncertain outcomes.
- 🎭 Comedy
- 🦷 Dentist in training
- SH
Shemp Howard as Shemp
Played by Shemp Howard
Shemp drives the central chaos with impulsive actions that complicate procedures. He becomes the source of misapplied techniques, including following the wrong manual, which culminates in unpredictable and comic results.
- 🎭 Comedy
- 🦷 Dentist
- DK
Dr. Keefer — Professor of Dentistry (Vernon Dent)
Played by Vernon Dent
Dr. Keefer is the stern mentor who presides over the dental school, representing expertise and discipline. He guides the Stooges toward professional credentials while serving as the target of their endless, humorous missteps.
- 🎓 Mentor
- 🧑⚕️ Professor
Where and When Is The Tooth Will Out Set?
The Tooth Will Out is set in Dish shop, Dental office, Dental school and Western town. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Dish shop, Dental office, Dental school, Western town
The movie opens in a busy dish shop and restaurant where the Stooges' clumsy antics ignite chaos. They seek refuge in a dental office, hoping for a fresh start. Their journey continues as they graduate from dental school under Dr. Keefer, the Professor of Dentistry, and begin practicing in a quiet western town. The settings shift from kitchen farce to clinical training and finally to a small-town dental practice, creating a familiar backdrop for slapstick hijinks.
- 🍽️ Dish shop
- 🏥 Dental office
- 🎓 Dental school
- 🏜️ Western town
What Are the Themes of The Tooth Will Out?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Dentistry, Slapstick and Authority.
-
01
Dentistry
The film centers on dentistry as a career, turning training into a playground of mishaps. Mishandled instruments, misplaced manuals, and smoky outcomes highlight the gap between theory and practice. Their attempts to diagnose and treat patients showcase comic misfires as professional aspiration collides with reality.
-
02
Slapstick
Humor arises from physical gags, pratfalls, and rapid-fire misunderstandings as the trio fumbles through dental tasks. Their optimism clashes with practical limits, escalating situations into escalating chaos. The comedy relies on timing, exaggerated reactions, and visual humor.
-
03
Authority
Authority figures like Dr. Keefer and a Sheriff-like presence create tension the Stooges must navigate through incompetence and misdirection. The conflict is resolved with lighthearted chaos rather than real danger, emphasizing the humorous struggle against rules and order.
What Kind of Film Is The Tooth Will Out?
Light in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Light
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Mixed
A frantic and absurd slapstick comedy that feels like a constantly escalating series of dental mishaps and chaotic chases, creating a lighthearted and silly viewing experience.
- silly
- chaotic
- slapstick
- lighthearted
- comedic chase
- frantic
- dentists
- mishaps
- career failure
- frontier life
Quiz
How well do you remember The Tooth Will Out? Test yourself on the story.
