DOCTORS AND DENTISTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 6

DOCTORS AND DENTISTS

A PROFESSIONAL VIEW.

(To the Editor.)

I -would like to answer "Decayed Teeth." Having had 28 years' experience of dentistry, although I am at present unemployed, perhaps my word will be accepted before that of more interested parties. The takings of the doctors and dentists are certainly much below normal to-day, even of those who keep up to date with new equipment and who study new methods. "Decayed Teeth" seems to forget' it is the service of specialised knowledge he pays for, not so many grains of amalgam, gold, cement or pieces of porcelain. There are many reasons which he has overlooked, such as our depression, exchange rate, sales tax, income tax, radio tax, car tax, etc., hut the doctor and dentist, unlike most other businesses, have not handed these taxes on to their patients. Rent, a -very high overhead expense owing to much necessary waste in materials (mostly imported equipment), apart from years of non-earning time whilst studying, have all to he taken into account, coupled often with lean years until his practice is established. I ask you, how many dentists with only their own two hands and a lack of the usual business man's training do you know who, starting off from scratch, "have made a lot of money in the pursuit of dentistry alone? I have knftwn dozens of good dentists, competent and conscientious men, and some have acquired a good credit balance, but mostly through speculations advised by patients. I am quite safe in saying that the dentist and doctor are often the last to be paid (if at all) by a very large percentage of patients. Early dental treatment is not expensive, painful or tedious. I ask "Decayed Teeth" -would he let his finger decay until as a last- resource it had to be amputated. But can any other missing part be replaced so efficiently as a really good artificially-restored denture? W. J. GROSE.