DENTAL SCHOOL

Evening Star, Issue 19790, 14 February 1928, Page 9

DENTAL SCHOOL

THE YEAR'S WORK At the meeting of tlio University Council yesterday the following report dealing with the work of the Dental School year was received from Dr Dodds (acting director of the school) ; During the year 1927 108 students have been in attendance, of whom sixty were degree students and forty-eight certificate students, four being women students. During the year thirty-two students qualified—twelve B.D.S. and twenty C.O.P.—making our output for th- year thirty-two, all of whom, apparently, have had no difficulty in finding positions, either in private practice or with hospital boards. r Pickerill pointed out in his rcoorts of 1925 and 1926 that New Zealand could probably support another 200 dentists. It certainly appears at present that the demand for young dental practitioners is not exceeded ■by the supply. The changes due to reorganisation of the degree course, according to the requirements of the General Medical Council of Great Britain, have been introduced gradually. This year all degree students, except those under the old regulations, who have failed to complete their courses, will bo working under the now regulations. Dunn" the year the denial faculty passed a resolution in favor of the abolition of the certificate course; it is gratifying to note in the report of the Academic Board for 1927 that this body supported the faculty in this recommendation. From all points of view one course may ho conceded to be the

al; of recent .years the Dental School has had three I

The most important event of the year has been the resignation of Dr Pickerill, clean of the faculty. Both students and staff have felt his departure very much.

At the end of tho year Mr J. H. Murray Nicholson, H.D.S., demonstrator in clinical dentistry and research scholar, left to proceed to England and tho United States. Before leaving ho sat his examination for the D.D.S. degree of New Zealand. His place will be taken by Mr R. M. S. Taylor, B.D.S.

Dr Pickerill last year pointed out that we are in need of the services of visiting dentists who would give demonstrations on special subjects. This principle is a valuable one, provided that the services of these gentlemen are not honorary. There are a number of denial surgeons in New Zealand of high repute whose services in their special branches of dentistry would bo most useful to tho Dental School.

The attendance of patients has increased to a marked extent to the point that clinical material for all classes of work is slightly in excess of that required. The gift of £I,OOO from tho Chancellor for the provision of precious metals, for those unable to afford certain necessary treatment has made it possible for us to conform to the new regulations. _ This applies particularly to the class in orthodontics, which can and is now being developed to the required extent. The following are the details of the various operations performed;—Number of fillings, 6.034; inlays. 1,213; crowns. 210; bridges, 26; dentures, 703; orthodontics, 56; general anaesthetics, 643; local anaesthetics, 847; patients’ attendances, 31,126; operations, 23,864.