NOT PAWN TO CATCH VOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 27 August 1947, Page 5

NOT PAWN TO CATCH VOTES

COM3HENT ON STATE'S FREE DENTAL SERVICE AUCKLAND, August 26. The opinion that at the present rate at which dentists were being trained xt would take from 20 to 30 years to bring the numbers in the profession to the stage xxffiere free dental treatmenr could be given to all, was expressed Dy Mr. W. B. Tennent, of Palmerston North, in his presidential address at tlie annual ntfeeting of the New Zealand Dental Association. The meeting xvhich was attended by about 180 dentists, will continue untii Friday. After referring to the introduction of the school dental service in 1921, Mr. Tennent said that when the scheme was started the ratio of extractions to ftliings was 114.5 to 100 and at present the ratio was 6.3 to 100. At flrst parents were asked to pay an annual nominat sum for each child but some years iater the seiwice was made free. The Government had npxv extended the free service to include children up to 16 years, the intention being to extend it 1 6 19 years and over as time and personnel permitted. "A fexv years ago whea this proposal xvas first considered seriously, the association recommended the establishment of a saiaried staff to eariy it out, ' ' said Mr. Tennent. ' ' lt must be clearly understood that the present free service scheme is rnerely a temporary one to carry over until there is sufficient personnel to put the saiaried scheme into effect. This scheme had been introduced at a time when the profession was very heavily taxed to do all the dental treatment required and two important conditions must be guarded at all costs. The lirst' was that whatever political party was in power the profession and its free dental service must never become the pawn for catching votes. In other words the profession should nex*er be forced to undertake any scheme it could Mox. carry out suceessfully. The other condition wafc that the Government should be guided by the advice of sthe director of the Division of Dental Hygiene and his advisory committee. "Thirty years ago there were five students at the dental school," said Mr. Tennent. "For the last 20 years tnc average annual number of graduates had been 13. Today throughout New i Zealand there are 245 students studying dentistry which has certainly become more popular as a career. Even at this rate it will take at least 20 to 30 years to bring the numbers in the dental profession to the stage where a free dental service can be given to all. He would be a bold man who would say precisely what the practice of dentistry will be at that time."