DENTAL SERVICE FOR RECRUITS.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 82, 6 April 1916, Page 2

DENTAL SERVICE FOR RECRUITS.

THE ARRANGEMENTS EX-

PLAINED

A certain amount of misconception appears to exist, both on the part or the general public and amongst recruits as to the nature of the service at present being rendered by the members of the New Zealand Dental Association in treating the teeth of recruits (says the Otago Daily Times). As far back as June last the Association recognised the difficulties ahead in respect of providing adequate dental treatment for men voluirfcee/ing for active service, and made a patriotic offer to the Govern-

ment. It was -,not, however, until > November that that offer was accepted. The offer made, and eventually accepted, was this: that, in order that no man should be able to say that he could not go to the front because he could not afford to get his teeth attended to, the Association undertook to treat all such men j free of charge, provided the Govern- '. ment reimbursed members for the j cost of the material used in treat- ) ment. v The members of the Dental j Association have never asked the j Government to pay for their time i and skill, and hence, for several dim- j cult operations, which involves no expenditure of material, no re- < numeration whatever is made by the j Government. Every recruit seen 1 under tin's arrangement means v i financial loss to members of the Dental Association, but they are undertaking this work cheerfully as their patriotic war contributions. It has been described as "the . biggesi; organised patriotic contribution made { to the war yet by any section of th« community in the country." It •is eminently practical in that, by their efforts, members of the Dental AssoI ciation have the satisfaction of knowI ing that they have contributed to I making men fitter to fight the enemy, and that their work is enabling men to remain in the trenches for weeks longer than they otherwise would.^ In spite of this, however, there exists a feeling that all intending recruits should be treated gratuitously. This obviously would not be fair ; under the present purely patriotic I arrangement—dentists would have no time to see their,, own patients, and would soon be bankrupt, it rich and poor recruits are all to b« treated alike it is a matter for th-e Government to take up and arrange. There are at present, roughly, 400 dentists in New Zealand giving their services patriotically in this manner, and to suggest that they should do more, when they have already done, and are doing, so much is hardly fair. It is difficult to arrive at an estimate of the exact monetary value ■of the Dental Association's' gratuitous services, but at the ver.v least it must amount to over £2000 per week in New Zealand.