DENTISTS' BILL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18202, 13 October 1924, Page 4

DENTISTS' BILL.

VIEWS OF UNREGISTERED ASSISTANTS. A (statement has been handed to the Wellington "Post" by the Unregistered Dental Assistants' Association in regard to the Dentist:;' Amendment Bill. The statement is as follows: The Public Health' Committee of the House has carefully considered this Bill, after hearing both sides and their counsel at great length, and, with only one dissentient, has not. only reported in favour of the Bill, but has amended it go :;s to give the unregistered dental assistants even more extended iacilities than the Bill at first proposed for sittin ■-<- for examination, and to restore to them the right, which they possessed from 1904 to 1921, of practising dfcntal surecrv under the supervision of a registered dentist. That the Committee has so reported must convince anv impartial person that tho merits are ■strongly in faivour of the thirty-two unregistered men _ wno have worked for an average period ot 91 years at the full practice of dental surgery, and for an average period ot Io.J- years at dental work, and who will, if the Bill is not passed, haTe to take employment as dental mechanics if they can* get it—which is impossible ab wages averaging £t per week less than they now earn, though *liey are mostly married men with obligations. The fact that these men liavo so long been engaged in full practice must lie enough assurance that the public interest cannot sutler by the Bill. While so practising dentistry they not only haw helped to build up the practices of those who now oppose the Bill but also have contributed in no slight degree to set the New Zealand standard of dentistry, which, it was admitted before the Committee, is second to none in the world. The Minister's statement had shown good-natured sympathy with men whom he feels have a just grievance, and referred to tho indisputable fact that 02 per cent, of the present registered dentists have not been through the four years' university course at Dnnedin. The Minister lias acted throughout with a, full nense of responsibility. Tho Bill hag the support of a large majority of all parties of the House. The first to support the. Hill after the Minister had spoken was the Leader of the Opposition, who was willing to go further than the Bill now goes, and advocated removal of a time limit to the opportunities of examination. Under the Bill as it stands, none of the thirty-two unregistered men will be able to practise on his own account until he passes an examination prescribed by the University. What passible objection can there be to this?