DENTAL STUDENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2984, 23 January 1917, Page 6

DENTAL STUDENTS

GREAT SHORTAGE OF SURGEONS

MOTION BEFORE THE SENATE

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 22. A critical position with regard to dentistry was disclosed when Mr. Mahon moved: — •'That in view of the fact that since the passing of tho Dentists Act, 190S, tho number of students qualifying to practise as dental surgeons is wholly inadequate to the wants of the cdmmnnity. and that tho increasing shortago of qualified dental practitioners constitutes a grave menace to tho public health, the Board of Studies be asked to draft for certificate of proficiency in dental surgery a. modified courso that would not involve an attendance of more than six months at tho Otago Dental School." The mover said that his object in bringing the point before the Senato was that tho Otago School of Dentistry would bo encouraged to carry out the work for which it was' established. Three years was the time necessary under the old system to seciiro qualification as a dental surgeon. About 95 per cent, of tho dentists practicing had qualified under the system. The present course covered four years, three of which the student spent in Dunedin. This proved a barrier to apprentices in far-away If the courso suggested were adopted, use could be made of the existing resources of local University colleges and local dental hospitals. Apprentices might under experts undergo a course of training in operative dental surgery, stopping,'and the use of auaesthetics, this training being rounded off by a short course at. the Otago Dental School. , ~ .. Tho matter was referred to tbe Medical Committee for report. It was resolved, by fourteen rotes to nine, to ask tho Government to amend the Act so that the Senate may deal with the matters of_ medical, dental, engineering, and mining professional education without receiving a recommendation from the Board of Studies.