MORE DENTISTS WANTED

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 280, 26 November 1929, Page 9

MORE DENTISTS WANTED

SHORTAGE WILL BE ACUTE. RAISING THE STANDARD. DEMAND FOR PRACTITIONERS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. "New Zealand is not over-supplied with dentists. In a few years the shortage of dentists will probably be acute," stated Dr. Bevan Dodds, dean of the Dental Faculty. Twenty students graduated yearly from the Dental School, and the number was barely sutficient to meet the demand. Requests for young practitioners' were always being received, and at the end of each vear, when students accepted appointments, there were seldom less than two Va "i lC gr-l"atcs of the Dental School, said Professor Dodds, were doing very well, showing that the profession was an attractive one. Very few graduates left New Zealand, the departures being only those taking post-graduate courses in, America and England. Professor Dodds explained ■ that the decree of B.D.S. was required before a graduate could practice outside of New Zealand. Very few students were now takiiw the certificate of proficiency (course, and there was every reason to 1 expect a further reduction in number :of CO.P. students, as the certificate course was now extended almost to the (leo-ree standard. In fact, said Professor Dock!s, he would like to see the CO.P. course abandoned. That, however, would necessitate revision of the Act, an action which did not always meet with approval; but he felt that the present Government was sympathetic towards the Dental School and the raising of the standard of the profession. Discussing the' demand for practitioners, Professor Dodds said that few students graduated from the school during the war, and post-war graduations were numerous. The opening of die "back door" two or three ago to mechanics who had uractised for consist able periods also influenced the profession; but many of the established practitioners were now middle-iged, and greater openings could be expected. He belived there would be an acute shortage, of dent?sts in a few years' tiiiie. :