MORE DENTISTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 255, 16 July 1918, Page 6

MORE DENTISTS

o _; TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS A BURSARIES SCHEME A request for more bursaries for the Dunedui Dental bcnool was made ]»• a deputation winch waited on Ministers of the Crown yesterday. Several limes of late the shortagu of dentists has been publicly relerred to, uud it has been pointed out that the slih'ening up oi the dental course has had tne ell'ect .ol greatly reducing the numbers of men entering the nrot&sion. The Ministers proGent were Sir James Allen (Defence), tho Hun. G. W. Kuweit (Public Health), the Hon. .1. A. Hanan (Education); and tUe Hon. A. M. Myers (Finance). Mr. T. K. Sidey, i1.i , ., eaul that there were not sufficient men eutcring tho profession to supply the needs of the country in the future, but he did not think that there should be any lowering of tho standard required in a dentist to meet the deficiency in numbers. Nor did ho approve tho .suggestion that there should be established other (nuning institutions, besides that at Duucdin, at which men might receive some sort of training for the profession. Such would be a retrograde step, contrary to the policy of specialisation which had Seen adopted by New Zealand regarding fhe four University Colleges in the country. Tho best solution of the problem -would be, the offering of bursaries, which would make it possible for young men of modest means to undergo the training, and so supply the needs of the country. Ho said that the war had taught the need for physical fitness, and good teeth were essential to gpouj health. Bad Teeth, Mr. N. Mitchell, president of the New Zealand Dental Association, said that there could tie no duubt about the appalling condition; of the teeth of people of all ages in New Zealand. Examination of the teeth of school children had shown that no fewer than ninety-fivo per cent, of them had dental caries. He believed that at least fifty per cent, of the ills of men were due to dental disease, and that if the teeth of the people could be made good half of the hospitals might ho closed. To do this it would be necessary to cope first of all with the disease existing, and to have an educative campaign as to tho need for the prevention of disease. •,' ,It was estimated that the profession could lie recruited by twenty students a year, and it was therefore recommended that there should be established twenty bursaries for the Duuedin Dental School each year. The total cost of the bursaries would be about =£1100, but as 25 per cent, of the students would probably reside in Duucdin, the cost might not' exceed .£1250. In tho fourth year tho cost per year would bo £MW, and this would be the normal continuing cost of the bursaries scheme in working order. It was proposed that the bursaries should be awarded first of all to students already holding university bursaries of £21) a year, and by this means also the cost of tho bursaries could be reduced. In return for this assistance that the State was asked to give it was proposed that young men, on the completion of their ftur years' course, should enter into an agreement to do dental service for the State on terms to he arranged by the Government. The request as from tho Dentnl Association .was ennported by Mr. 0. V. Davies, Acting-Director of the Duncdin Dental School, and Mr. J. A. Young, M.P., himself a dentist by profession. Dr. Elliott appeared in the deputation as'a member of the British Medical Asfociation. He paid that, although the Medical Association had nnt considered the question, doctors were in agreement with their allies, the dentisf.s, aa to the sunreme imnortnnce of ?ood teeth 'to «ouml health. He considered that it would be (ipplornble to reduce the standard required in dentist', saying that this miirlit lead to ausrossive eommorcinliin. Mvs. C. Enrle pnokp. as a. rpnr?-.<>ntative of the Plunket Society, which, she said, had nlways taken <i great 'ntereft in tin? teeth problem. Th<> s/M-ijtv coHhilv Ripperted the nronosaU of the Dental ■ArFneintion, and slio uvpd Hint they should be nntod upon without delay. Mr. J. C. Webb, Tenrewntimr the Education Institute, sa ; d Uiat teachers believpd that whatever was npcssary to RPcr.rp'nalio'ial nlueioncy should be done regardless of cost. Ministers in Heplv. Mr. Haiinn was 'the first of the Ministers to reply. lie said that he was anxious to secure the health of the population, believing that health was the first line of defence. He admitted that health was of even greater importance than Other educational problems, md that tirst and, foremost children should be taught ti> have cjean mo.it'is and to miisticate their food proporly. Sir James Allen said" that he was extremely grateful to the dentists for the vork they had done during the war. He knew that miny members uf the profession had made great sacrifices. Probably li'i profession had done more. He could safely state that the New Zealand Army had the best dental service in the world. He said that he would strongly deprecate the lowering of the standard of tho profession. If the Qtago school were full, there might be something to 1)0 said for the establishment of other institutions in other centres, but at prosent there was no such need. He agreed • with other speakers that health was of even more importance than education. The request made by tho deputation for moro bursaries would have to go before Cabinet. ' Mr. .Russell said that the dental question had engaged his attention for the past two years. He was in en tiro agreement with tho scheme of bursaries for the Otago School. The Public Health Department had already a system of bursaries for medical degrees. He believed that there were eight of them this year. Tho condition was that the holder of the bursary sliould be available for service under the Health Department, as a house surgeon in one of the hospitals or in some other capacity, for n period of two years after he hod qualified. Ho would not be in favour of a policy which would have the effect of centring all the training in.Dunedin. Institutions might be established in other centres, at which much of the preliminary trainine in the profession might be learned. For instance, there wns « good dental clinic at Auckland in connection with the public hospital. He hoped that the sequel to the State bursaries scheme would,I - , a State dentists scheme for the benefit of the children, of the Dominion, includins thnse not yet attending school. Mr. Myers expressed approval of the humane and patriotic work done by the medical and tho dental professions. As Acting Minister nf Finance, lie said (hat he would be prepared to give a sympathetic hearing to the rnqiiPst when the matter came bef6re Cabinet.