DENTISTRY IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25273, 27 August 1947, Page 3

DENTISTRY IN N.Z.

FREE TREATMENT SCHEME

NOT ENOUGH TRAINED DENTISTS

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, August 26.The opinion that at the rate at which dentists were being trained it would take from 20 to 30 years to bring the numbers in the profession to a stage where free dental treatment could be given to all was expressed by Mr W. B. Tennent, of Palmerston North, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Dental Association. After referring to the introduction of the School Dental Service in 1921. Mr Tennent said that when the scheme was started the ratio of extractions to fillings was 114.5 to 100, and that at the present ratio was 6.3 to 100. At first, parents were asked to pay an annual nominal sum for each child, but some years later the service was made free. The Government had now extended the free service to include children up to 16 years of age, the intention being to extend it to 19 years. “A few years ago, when this proposal was first considered seriously, ihe association' recommended the establishment of a salaried staff to carry it out,” said Mr Tennent. “It must be understood that the present fee-for-service scheme is merely a temporary one to carry over until there are sufficient personnel to put a salaried scheme into effect.”

This scheme had been introduced at a time when the profession was very heavily taxed to do all the dental treatment required, and two important conditions must be guarded against at all costs. The first was that whatever political party was in power the profession and its free dental service must never become a pawn for catching votes. In other words, the profession should never be forced to undertake any scheme it could not carry out successfully. The other condition was ihat the Government should be guided by the advice of the Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene and his advisory committee.

“Thirty years ago there were five students at the Dental School,” said Mr Tennent “For the last 20 years the average annual number of graduates has been 13. To-day, throughout New Zealand there are 245 students studying dentistry, which has certainty become more popular as a career. Even at this rate it will take at least r 0 to 30 years to bring the numbers in the dental profession to the stage where a free dental service can be given to all. He would be a bold man who would say precisely what the .practice of dentistry will be at that lime.”