DENTAL TREATMENT OF RECRUITS. '

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2720, 15 March 1916, Page 7

DENTAL TREATMENT OF RECRUITS. '

Sir,—l noticed: a paragraph; in a speech of Sir Joseph Ward's at Winton that would tend to give a wrong impression: He is reported to have said that the Dental Association had been instructed to deal with teeth troubles of recruits freo of charge. Now the facta are' : these. In the early stages of tho war, when little or nothing was being done froni'the dental standpoint,"many recruits were lost to the forces through dental defects. Tho New Zealand Dental 'Association offered a service to treat all recruits who could 1 not afford dental treatment at a nominal charge, which was intended to defray cost of material used. As far as possible this work ,wasj to be dbne before the men proceeded to camp, thereby facilitating military training. This proposal was, and is still, being availed, of largely, - and I regret to say in. many oases _ dentists have- been exploited by recruits quite nble to pay ordinary fees. If the idea that the dentists were not oharging And the Government would not been put into their heads, by various-Minis-terial statements, these men would have jfeid willingly for service rendered to them. ,

The erroneous idea Conveyed by Sir 'Joseph Ward and others places the dentists in an impossible position. Wo are giving our skill, services, and 1 time without remuneration. It was> olearl.v understood that those who could afford to pay were not to talte advantage of the gratuitous element .in this scheme. IF, according to Ministerial statements, it is to become f. tuiiversal one, it must needs break down by its own. weight. The dental practitioners could not cope with the amount - of work entailed .without a sacrifice that is quite beyond them. It may not be known, .generally, that prior to the offer.of the New Zealand Dentil 'Association, much gratuitous work- was done. Notably at. one oamp the whole of the dental work was gratuitously undertaken. Ths monetary equivalent at ordinary fees-Jn this one case amounted'to £1500. Another branch of the association lias undertaken the whole of the dental work in its district without fee or remuneration. Incidentally this is being done more' or less throughout New Zealand. The feeling that 'our gervices have not been fully recognised by those who should' know better is my apology for troubling you 4 and giving' you these details.—l am, 1 etc., . y W, H. DIDSBURY. ■March 14, 1916.