THE DENTAL CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13008, 9 January 1908, Page 9

THE DENTAL CONFERENCE.

■ ♦— .- INTERESTING SPEECHES.

(PBXSS ASSOCIATION TEUCKAK.) AUCKLAND, January 8: The delegates to the annual conference of tho New- Zealand Dental -Association were entertained by tbe Hon. George Fowlds, Minister for Education, this Afternoon. Mr Fowida, 'in proposing "The New Zealand Dental Association,'* said that the dentists oi Nevr Zealand and the Dental Assoc** tion, had to their credit the fact that they had largely, aasisted in, tho establishment of the Dental School at Dunedin in oonneotion with the University of New Zealand. That,they had subscribed £1000 towards the school which was now doing excellent work, was an evidence of their genuine interest in the matter. He thanked the members of the Association for the interest they had displayed in regard to the important question, of the condition of children's tooth. As Minister for Education, he would be very glad when some systematic method oould be adopted for the examination of the teeth of school children. ; These' examinations, however, would 'not do very much, and it was necessary 'that it . should be followed up by treatment. Many parents would not be able to pay heavy'fees for such treatment, and it was necessary that -in such cases • some system of free treatment should: be arranged. (Hear, hear). Sure* it was quite as important that sickness of the mouth should have treatment and care as sickness of any other part of'the body. The Hospital Board was charged with the duty of providing treatment for those who were sick and unable to pay. and aa he had said, troubles affecting the mouth should be regarded as of as much importance as any other physical trouble that afflicted the community. v Mr A. M. Carter (rice-president of the Association), in replying to tho toast, thanked Mr Fowids for the warm official and personal interest that he had displayed in regard to the. ■ Association. As dentists, they were not banded together for mere personal aggrandisement, as they bad the welfare of the community at heart. The toast of "Our Visitors" was proposed by Mr J. A. Young, who.referred to the advantages of such conferences as the present in furthering the interests of the profession, and said ho hoped to see the day, when, the dream of tho lato Mr Seddon would be realised, by the bringing about of professional reciprocity throughput tho length and breadth of the British Dominaooa. Mr Edwin Cox, a veteran member of the dental profession in New Zealand, said that Mr Fowlde had done a great deal for dentistry ur New Zealand, but he would aan him to do yet more m regard to the repeal of the present compulsory vaccination law, which he was convinced had a great deal to do with the decay of children's teeth.