Last week, dentist Walter Palmer—who placed his crosshairs on a beloved lion, Cecil—found himself in the crosshairs of worldwide social media rage for his slaying of one of nature’s most majestic creatures. All the attention on him, and the frequent reference to his occupation has gotten the National Dental Association (NDA) a bit cagey.

“Not all dentists are like that,” protested Charles Wentworth, who owns a dentistry practice in Midvale. “You can’t just apply a broad brush stroke like that on all of us because of the actions of some. I repeat—only some.”

Practitioners of periodontic well-being across the nation have been knee-jerk responsive to point out that—unlike the Minnesotan who is guilty of multiple violations of poaching animals—they fill cavities, perform root canals, and place new crowns without harassing or disturbing any endangered wildlife.

“This is anti-dentite hysteria unfolding before us,” warned the NDA press release.

Those who have chosen a path in endodontics seem overly defensive on the whole; no one has said they’re all like the singular douche-nozzle who apparently thought a taxidermied lion head is just what his practice needed. Yet, the many headlines casting a supposed negative light toward their profession has given pause to the placing of retractors and application of anesthesia and rise to a bullheaded campaign on behalf of a profession that enjoys a privileged status and higher-than-average income bracket indeed.

In local developments, it is now being reported that Hogle Zoo, as a prophylactic measure, is beefing up security around its lion, Russell, and also asking all area dentists to refrain from visiting for the time being. “At least until the dust settles, we’d prefer dentists stay out,” said Hogle Zoo spokesperson Leonard Bicknell. #NotAllDentists