SUPPLY OF DENTISTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3036, 24 March 1917, Page 11

SUPPLY OF DENTISTS

NOT ADEQUATE AN IMPORTANT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT PROPOSALS BY MR RUSSELL

The military and civil dentnl services of New Zealand wcro discussed m an. important statement made by the ./Minister of Public Health (the Hon. Gl '..W; Russell) yesterday. ~ "Arising out of the war,'' said Mr. Russell,_ "the question of the dental service is one which has recently been . receiving close attention. I find that. ■Prior to the war there were practically ,500 dentists exercising their profession' in : New. Zealand. Of these 100 have i been withdrawn .for service .in.-, the Forces—37 being, attached to the combatant forces and 63 to the 'Dental Corps in. the Dominion. , It is esti,M3ted that should tho war continue /another 12 months a.further 30 dentists will be required for the Forces, leaving- 370 available for practice in the entire Dominion. It is with great ■; surprise," ,■ added the Minister, ' 'that 'I have learned, on making -inquiry, that, the number :who have presented . , themselves for examination under the , Dentists Act during the last six years 18 °ne only- Apparently.the majority of the now dentists starting l in New Zealand have- had ! .their:-training- in American colleges, and these-are required to present themselves for an examination of the same standard as that prescribed by the University Senate for New. Zealand dentists, 'it is , probably that in the;early future the •question of mobilising the dental service will become a- practical one, exactly as that of. mobilising the medioal semce is already one which is receiving attention of the Pub- - -he It is clear that - the method of training dentists in Now " a f d V as shown: bv,the experience ■ , tlle , ] / s .? six: years, has proved a colossal fajlure, and cannot bo allowed to continue as'at present. Some more fS° W■ Ph % 0f - :irail 4 n £ I™™ man ior this profession,: which is understood to be an exceedingly lucrative ■one, must.be established. I recognise that the Otaeo Detitar School;' under Professor PickerilT, as-ably, officered, •but its location at. one end of the Dominion evidently does not provide sufficient facilities and attractions for the i young men of our country to avail themselves of it. I think it will probably be necessary to establish training institutions in the other three centres" where a large amount of the prelimmarpuvprk can be undertaken by young .men who are engaged,as cadets in the employ of. registered ■ dentists, and whose final term of training, can be completed .in a. short period- at the Otago institution to ,-put polish, on hefore they receive their'diploma. How. ■ this can.best be:done. will, be taken into consideration, and I hope that by ' .working in conjunction: with the Education Department through the techni. .-oal,colleges,-a, satisfactory .method . may be established that will be available at the principal, centres of the Dominion, ' .-'.:,-..,..." •i Tuesday last, I ;:. laid the foundation-stone: of the new ' u •■i 6 £ of \ th ? Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the entire top 'floor of which ,16 to be given: up to the dental service.

The Auckland Hospital Board has specialised in connection with dentistry more than any other hospital board in New Zealand. A number of the dentists of the northom city have given their services free iu connection with the work. In speaking on that occasion, following, the lead of the chairman of tho board (Mr. M. Coyle), I referred, to tho importance of tho dental treatment of ohildren in our schools. It is imperatively necessary that this matter should bo:dealt with. Last year a , very largo deputation of tie leading educationists waited upon me in connection with the question. The position is somewhat complicated by tho fact that tho medical inspection of schools is controlled by the Education Department.. Personally, I have no wish, of course, to interfere with the functions of my colleague, the Hon. Mr. Hanan. Speaking at Auckland I suggested that if the education authorities would arrange for the dental inspection of the school _ children (I mean the children attendingvall schools), I would be prepared, as Minister of Health, to arrange for the treatment required to correct the dental troubles of the scholars. I

have made this o£Fer to the' Auckland ■ Education Board, and I am prepared to make the same offer to any other Education Boardlin New Zealand which' chooses to avail itself of it. Necessarily, if a large campaign of this kind were undertaken, there would be some expenses, as .we cannot expect the dentists, of the' Dominion to serve for nothing. They have, however, proved' to be a most patriotic body, and I feel sure that they would be prepared to undertake the work at very low rates. Last year tho sum of £3000 was voted on' the Public Health appropriations under the heading of cancer, venereal diseases, and dental conditions investigations, and treatment connected therewith. A very largo portion of this sum is still available, and if the education authorities are prepared to send the school children along my Department will undertake the necessary treatment as far; as funds are available. _ I regard this work as the utmost importance. The large number of men who on examination have proved unfit for military servioe, indicates the absolute necessity of the health of the rising generation being dealt with, and it is well known that diseased teeth are one of the primary causes of bad health and want of development.