DENTISTS' CERTIFI= CATES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 2

DENTISTS' CERTIFI= CATES.

"SHORT CUTS" TO REGISTRATION. PRIME MINISTER APPROACHED. A deputation representative of the Dental Association of New Zealand waited upon the Prime Minister and .tho Minister for Public Health (the Hon. D. Buddo) •on Saturday morning.

The deputation was introduced by Mr. T. K. Sidoy, M.P., who stated that the gathering included, representatives of the association from Auckland, Cliristchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. Members had noticed that it had been suggested that, certain amendments should be made in the Act, and this request had mado' the association apprehensive lest anything should be dono which would go back on the :advances provided in the legislation placed on the Statute-book five years ago. This legislation had stood a severe test, and was doing good—one of the benefits resulting from it being the establishment of; a thoroughly-equipped training school in Dunedin, second to no school in any part of the world. The few cases in which the Act had been complained of arose through ignorance of the i>r'ovisions of the. Act.

Harm and Injustlco. ; ; ■ Dr. Patterson, presidentof the association, pointed out that the dentists had subscribed some £1000 front their own pockots towards the establishment of the Dental School at 'Dunedin, and had done this on the understanding with the lato Premier that no more unqualified men would be ' allowed to register.. Letting unqualified; men 'in did a : great amount, of harm, and "it was an' injustice, to the profession. . Dr. Cahill,~a member of the late Dental Board 'of' Examiners, said he could speak as one of the public, arid on behalf of the public, because of the knowledge he had.' Petitioners, .were to get on' the' register; without passing the examination. It. would not._only.bo ; an injustice, to. the .profession, but it-would; be practically a fraud.on'the public to.place men ,on tho register who ' were j incompetent; Ho hoped the Government would'do nothing to remove the safeguards already provided, to protect the public in this matter..•"■. '.: ■■■'-'."

;,: ■' Mr. Fisher, ; vice-president of. .the 'Auckland Association;-pointed.out that a dontal hospital, had lie'cn established■by his. association, and - twcrity-niiio -members ehch gave half, a day a month to.people- who had not the means': to pay for v.dental '-'services. ' Thero ;was no ground for. any suggestion that,the, associations wanted to regulate things to the detriment of,the,public. ..■,':■•■' ,- ; ' :

; Tha Gaoh-Dadr Entrance. ?,:'; :Mr. Hunter, chairman.of the executive iii Dunedin, referred to the wholesale butchery; that.had been: and still; was '-going', on by. men who' got hi -'.- by,. ;\yhat he termed the,' 'ba'ek, ; door." -,-■ The aim of the association, ivas. to'proteotlhe public as'f'ar as possible from ihcom-' ■petents. It would.be.a,gross iiijubtice"' .to.'the dentists now. practising und. to the students whp;had to qualify in.the ..dental schools if men .who had ".- not ■qualified w'er.e allowed, to .c'omo .-iiito the ..field.'.;.--';;:- : : ■'.:;:.:■■■: ■■■'.. :^r^\:y: iv'iMr. £ secretary of ;tlio Denial Examination Board,', "\Vellingtoii, reinarked that- sOine'.of tlioso who had failed at examihatipiis wero'applying to 'be'registered. It ivouhl be impolitic and unjust to allow these., men; to . bo. put. ■upon the register, : ;;- '-.'•.'■;'.'' •;■ Dr. Pickerill spoke' strongly against any alteration. of the Act to iillow'; any rii'ncjiialified man to.jegistor; No applicant slioiilii-be "allowed .a short cut to what others had' only obtanied by hard {work,' 'study, "and ; bxp'en'so'' .-. ' H Tho Hon. Dr. .";.Colliijs,:as ameinber of the: Dental Board .'of .■'Examiners,' said .that; those who.had. 5 failed 'to pass -the examinations had done '.so i'.beeause it was absolutely Impossible for the. examiners .to let; them, through. ■ r .v ■'-.'

Prime, Mlhistsr's Reply. v~:| The Prime; Minister, said the views.of -the deputation would bo fully considered by the Government Jin - : connection, with' ,the proposals at prdsent hoforo. Parliu;irient. The .first .consideration was .the public, and after the public the legisla-, ; tibn was intended to protect,, tlie pro.fession and. the.:nien in it/ and to .pre- ; vent unqualified men practising. Tlie of.' students, also had to be pro-' ■tected. Ho did not, think,- any person .should bo' allowed to get;.liis certificate by a short.out, as' this'would bo unfair to' those .Who obtained certificates in the legitimate way.., Ho; had : been approached in regard to tha,;cases of four .men who it was alleged 'had treated fairly by the; board. He referred to four cases in which men who were'fully qualified Had been refused registration merely beeauso they liacl' not applied within the time specified in the Act. He thought those cases ought to.be considofod. In', conclusion,' the Primo Minister said, thoro was not the slightest .cbahce of- the . door . being openod so us to. allow of infringement of tho. principle underlying the' Act.' :' In a subsequent, discussion the,views of the deputation: did not appear to be so strong against the admission of men who had passed tho board examination, and, through their: own neglect, had failed:' to - apply. for registration within the prescribed; time. Thoir particular case was against the admission of unqualified men.' ~;':

Dilemma of an Apprentice. Tho Prime Minister also received a deputation of one from Dunedin. The deputationist explained that after ho had paid a £100 premium to learn deutistry he found that an Act had'been passed by which he could not bo placed on the register "without going through the Dental School.' At thetime he began his apprenticeship tho V: Dental School had not'been opened; an,d after full inquiry'he went on with'his- apprenticeship; When he had served his tinw hs asked permission to sit, for a qualifying examination, but was told that ho could not do so unless he passed tho medical preliminary examination and served anothor four years. -..-: He how asked that his case should be considered. He did not want his certificate by legislation, but was prepared to sit for any fair examination, such as men who now- had'certificates had to pass at tho time ha mentioned. Sir Joseph Ward said he jvould con- ; sider 1 the matter carefully. The difficulty from the Government : point of view was that they could Hotlegislate where an Act provided that a certain' examination should be passed by students before they could get a certificate. They could not legislate to provide a short cut te a. certificate.