THE DENTISTS AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2779, 25 May 1916, Page 9

THE DENTISTS AND THE WAR

WHAT HAVE THEY, DONE? The conference of the New Zealand Dental Association now being held in Wellington is an opportune moment for directing attention to the valuable patriotic services rendered by the members of the profession individually and collectively. It will be remembered that when the Main Body was being enrolled, a very large percentage of the men were found to bo dentally unfit. The Army Regulations provided for medical services, 'but no provision existed for dental treatment. All this has been completely changcd, and the credit of it is duo largely'to the members of the New Zealand Dental Association. To-day there is in existence the New Zealand Dental Corps (Home Service) with LieutenantColonel T, A. Hunter as director, and Majors Pickerill and Rishworth as assist, ant directors/ There is a dental staff of four attached to the Trentham Camp, Ave dentists aro at IPeatherston,; and thero is n dentist at Awapunl, .and another at Narrow Neclc. In addition there are fifteen dentists attached to the troops at the front, furthermore, with several of the Keinforcoments that have left New Zealand a qualified dentist went on a transport to attend' to patients while on the sea.

To the combatant corps the profession has contributed thirty-four members, two of whom have.already made the supreme, sacrifice. Mr. 11. Young, who was practising in Marton, joined tho Main Body us major, and has. since been promoted to colonel. He has been awarded tho D.S.O. and C.M.G., and has ako received the French decoration of the Legion of Honour. Then there is Colonel B. C. Freyberg, the Wellington man, who is credited with a . remarkable swimming feat Gallipoli which secured • for liini "the D.S.O. Captain B.' S. I'inn, another, combatant! dentist, also gained the D.S.O. for attending . to wounded men while un- : der fire, —

L But the stay-at-home dentists are also doing.their share, and richly deserro tho: thanks of the community. For instance, how many Wellington people know that the New Zealand Dental Association pays H qualified dentist whose special duty it Is to attend at the Town Hall lind examine the mouths of recruits, and prepare a chart of dental deficiencies. This chart the recruit takes to a civilian - dentist (selected by rota) in tho city, and receives the same carefiil treatment, as though ho were, paying the full fee. With respect to fees, it may be stated that the New Zealand Association submitted a scheme to the Government which was accepted, under which the dentists undertook to treat recruits, charging only for the bare cost of the materials used, service being rendered absolutely free. When a recruit presents his chart tho dentist is supposed to ask, "Can you afford to payP" and it is needless' to say that no dentist puts the question. Dental efficiency is just as imperative *as medical fitness, and it is absurd to expect tho recruit to pay for what is clear, ly a State obligation. And this is not all, for the civilian dentist gives the recruit prior attention, and many a prearranged engagement with paying pntt■ ents has been deliberately broken or postponed in order that tho recruit may re-; ceivo treatment promptly. . 1 It must not bo supposed- that it is only tho Wellington dentists who aTe rendering patriotic services. For instance, in Timaru for one whole week the dentists there^devoted themselvs exclusivly to tho recruits, and refused all private practice. In Auckland, on one occasion, the dentists of that city were advised that about three hundred soldiers needed dental treatment. This was on a Saturday morning. .Eighteen dentists immediately volunteered to do the work, and for nearly 48 hours, that is all Saturday and Sunday, those dentists were working at high pressure. Scores of other similar incidonts could be given, for practically "very dentist in every town has risen to the occasion, and with a patriotism totally devoid of publicity, but wholesome in ■t: --*vorth, thn dentists have stood l>r the Dominion and the Empire. What their services, have amounted to express, ed in terms of money the general public p.imiot know, but a speaker, who is a Mc'iV onalified and experienced dentist, stated at the dinner of the association on '"Ttesday evening that tho work done !>v Hie dentins of New Zealand for the solo'ers of New Zealand was' honestly vflrtli ,- pr >l).flOO. It is a good record foi Urn profession.