TRAINING OF DENTISTS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15874, 13 April 1917, Page 7

TRAINING OF DENTISTS.

STATEMENT BY HON. a. W.

RUSSELL.

(SrXCIAL TO "THE PBES3."?

WELLINGTON, April 12

A few days ago tho Minister of Public Health, tho Hon. G. W. Russell, expressed very great dissatisfaction with tho arrangements existing in New Zealand for the training of dentists. Today the Minister made some further observations on the subject, and about dental matters generally.

"I hope during the sittings of tho dental conference at Wellington to discuss with that body proposals for undertaking at a fixed rato the dental work for the children of the schools of tho Dominion,"' said Mr Russell. "The proposal is that the work shall be done through the Hospital Boards, and that •tho Government agree to give to tfhe Hoards a subsidy of 73 per cent, of the money expended in this way." "With regard to tho proposals for the dental school, the enquiries I have made do not lead me to consider favourably any scheme for the establishment of bursaries. I understand that the period necessary to qualify after matriculation is four years, and I am of opinion that some easier and less expensive method of training dentists for our country will have to bo provided. I cannot help thinking that it should be possiblo to leam the profession of dentistry by a system of cadetship in the various dental workrooms and surgeries now in existence, followed by a course of technical instruction, which I hope to see made availablo in the various dental colleges.

Mr Russell went on to refer to some criticism that had been made of his statement that only one student had qualified during the last six years at the Dunedin school. In that statement lie had not been accurately reported, he said. What he had said was that six students had qualified, one in each year. He had since learned, howeyer, that he had made this statement on incorrect information, and that in six vears fifteen students had passed through the college fully qualified. This number was 60 small, however, that lie must still regard the present method of supplying dentists to the Dominion as a, colossal failure. The reason was that the cost of a four years' course at the Dunedin Dental School was prohibitive, and he therefore insisted on the necessity for a cheaper and easier method of supplying the Dominion with dentists.