School dental system in N.Z. ahead of Aust.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33775, 22 February 1975, Page 6

School dental system in N.Z. ahead of Aust.

Australian* graduating from tlic Christchurch School for Dental Nursing would .have a “much harder row to hoe” thai* New Zealand graduates, Mr k. C. <-rillcHph-’ said at the school’s graduation l ceremony yesterday morning.

Ten of the 58 graduates off < the two-year course were) Australians. Mr Gillespie, aj Christchurch dental surgeon, was the external examiner The school dental nursing ; service in New Zealand, he; said, was much further ahead than in Australia. Australian dental nurses, would have to make “big decisions” and do much more extensive dental work; than their New Zealand) counterparts. Graduates from Victoria ■ and New South Wales will h [be pioneers of a new service jin their states. The South!; Australian graduates will j enter a service that has been! ; established for a decade. i “We hope that in 20 to 30 j years time Australia will seer the improvements in their j; children’s teeth that haveji occurred in New Zealand,”; he said. j ‘FREAKISH” i •In his school years dentures had been common, h Now they were freakish.'; This considerable improve-;' ment was due to the work;l of the school dental nurses. j> Mr Gillespie congratulated I the graduates on the high! 1 standard of skill shown dur-i 1 ing the examinations. He! had also been, he said, very j much impressed by the kind, tactful way in which they had handled their patients. “Always remember,” he said.l .-“that the patient is not there ( for your benefit, you are there for the benefit of the patient.”

1 The relationship of a professional person to his or her patients was covered by a: code of trust in which the freedom of each was safeguarded. Even when the Spate became a third partv in the relationship, these •essential freedoms" were nor removed, he said. Tjheir generation, he told the graduates, had brought to society compassion, honiesty, and unselfishness in [abtmdant measure. ‘Tor this '■we thank you,” he said. ■■“ You have also brought a great deal of noise,” he added, amid laughter from [tine packed Horticultural Halil, “which we find harder to accept." Wishing the graduates well,. Professor Warren said they had worked hard to 1 enter a rjenowned service. Nurtse D. M. Kingsbury : was atwtarded the directors medal, for the graduate who is judged! to have “the qualifies of the best, all-round I school ’ dental nurse.” The winner of the Canterbury branch; of the New Zealand Dental, Association Prize was Nurse R. M. Davidson. The; : prize is awarded for the ihigheirt academic achievement.