JohnLennonTooth.comA group of dentists from England is hoping a little bit of John Lennon will go a long way to raise awareness about mouth cancer in the coming weeks as part of a new U.K. health initiative. 

Dr. Michael Zuk, a Canadian dentist who last year bought an extracted molar once belonging to the Beatles legend for about $32,000 at an auction, recently had three silver pendants created that incorporated fragments of the tooth, one of which he presented to the British dentists.  Now, the group is bringing the macabre piece of jewelry on a tour of 16 dental practices in conjunction with the British Dental Foundation's Mouth Cancer Action Month campaign, which takes place throughout November.

In addition to showing off the pendant, the facilities will host free cancer screenings, as well as promotional and fundraising events.  The campaign also is timed to mark the 50th anniversary of The Beatles.

"It's cool that a bit of Beatle tooth dust can actually help get a group of professionals working together on an important project," Zuk says in a statement.  "In the U.K., 1,985 people **** from it in 2010 and even rock star Eddie Van Halen was treated 10 years ago (losing a third of his tongue) and had treatment for a recurrence last spring.  So rock stars in one way or another help dentists promote free mouth/oral cancer screening which is pretty groovy."

The pendant, which Zuk hired Beverly Hills jeweler Ari Stoffer to design, features a peace sign and an inscription that reads "John Lennon DNA."  It's valued at $25,000.

Zuk bought Lennon's molar at a November 2011 memorabilia sale.  The rock great originally gave the tooth to his housekeeper Dot Jarlett during the late 1960s, it eventually came into the possession of former Creation Records co-founder Alan McGee, who sold it via Omega Auctions.

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