DENTAL-MINDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 90, 16 April 1940, Page 7

DENTAL-MINDED

_-_ » .IT- ' ' ' ■ OUR TROOPS ABROAD ■ '■ ■ ■ -■ ■ ■ . • «> ■ '

THEY WATCH THEIR TEETH

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.)1

Rlarch ,16.-

Brave men have ; quailed at the thought of the dentist's chair. Often, it has been looked upon as a place to be avoided unless compulsion is used, and it is a bottomless source of cruel

jokes.

New Zealand, however, may ; be able to take a lesson in dental-mindedness when her men in the Expeditionary Force return to .their homes. Of /their own free will they are helping to keep our camp dental hospital busy. Instead of waiting until they, are :driven to it, many are voluntarily seeking the services of the dental officers on duty here

Daring a yisit to the hospital today, one.'of the officers said: "We have evidence that the men are becoming more dentally-minded. More and .more are coming here. of their own accord as soon as something goes wrong. : ,

"We are getting men' who seldom if ;;,.- ever visited a dentist before'they joined . the Army, but; who ?are how. taking A.: practical interest in; the state of: their teeth: And, because of its bearing on, general health, that interest should be.vv most valuable when they return to New Zealand." : . ■■:;■:■''', ■■--I :.-■■>. /^v,/--.;Vv If praise is due to the men on, this v account, a good deal moreis owing to - the Dental Corps personnel ;who con-, duct the hospital. They actually carried^ out dental work on the first, day in camp, and: they had the hospital; functioning five days after the arrival;; ' of ■ the force. At the .momentt they: are: ;■; working-in a double;marquee, but they, -:\ ; will shortly take over a- new and\ ■ j ! well-eqjxipped building.: .. .;■■> ;i ;■ ■ i The earlyi difficulties which they had ; ; to overcome taught the ;staff;(some, valuable lessons in improvisation; They - are able to do dental work of any kind ; —the manufacture of dentures through ; ; the stage of: setting the artificial teeth : in wax the vulcanisation process,; : arid :-.;■ • ther finar polishing. Standard British;: y Army equipment >is used, and: the g motive power for such instruments as!:: the-drill is supplied by: treadles. /V; \>; The; dental officers;: are university*- .- trained men; with >wide experience in,: ; ( : hospitals and^ in private: practice, and : ? their work; is well up to the -standards . set in civil life. Several years: of -'.ex- - : pe'riencel lie behind the: work;, of the .;^ mechanics,' who, ; tbgether ; .with; ;the staff of orderlies, have also had train- ; irigin the Field Ambulance unit. ;;v: : :);.:\ "We have a fine'teant of;nien," ob: :< served one of the officers.: ■He revealed ; that as : a result of the.' pressure of work the mechanics^were voluntarily; working;at night, while mechanics and ••; orderlies alike^ had "been .attending^/ }classes^ 4n dental subjects. Further v illustration of; this, enthusiasm :;,.was.,i;y given in the fact;ithat even;;the order-/o:: lies were assisting with" the ;mechanical;' side of the work. added that some , of the'-meh had determined to take_up r : plehtistry ■)■ on^ their return/:v to .•?;.■ New .-, -. .Zealand^ :>.:■.■'■■: ::; ■^'■'.■■^/■■\:^ ■^;.-:0:.v;-:;-;--';..^>