STATE DENTISTRY

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 101, 28 April 1917, Page 6

STATE DENTISTRY

CARE OF CHILDREN'S TEETH

SHORTAGE OF STUDENTS,

During the course of the annual conference of the New Zealand Dental Association, the' Hon. G. W. Russell) -Minister of Public Health, addressed the delegates in regard to his -proposal that there should be established in the cities of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch dental hospitals for the treatment of school-children, which would enable dental students to be efficiently trained by a properly-qualified teaching staff. 'The conference promised, the,.ftjinister; to assist in framing a -scheme«to--mect-the shortage of dental students in New Zealand, and ther.6 :was., a': long discii?;, sion, -with the Tesult that upon a _■ dm- ■ sion the following motion-was, adopted. :■• "That with, a. view to facilitating ._ .». curriculum suitable to the teaching capabilities of tho centres, the dental course be tw» years at Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Dunedin, plus two years at the Dunedin Dental College." • ' The effect of this proposal, if adopted by the authorities, will be that the student will be able to secure two years' training in -the. centre nearest his own home, and finish at the. P.ental College..in Dunedin; .•■■-. There was "an interesting discussion upon the standard of education required as a preliminary to entering upon the dental course, and it was resolved to, recommend the maintenance of the matriculation examination in this connection. Eight members of the association were elected to constitute a committee, whicff will seek to co-operate with the Senate and other authorities in the arrangement and conduct of the course for the certificate of . proficiency in dentistry.!, ... An afternoon, was : spent, in, discussing an important paper by Dr. Norman Cox upon "State-Dentists." He considered it only a matter of time, when, it would be realised,'that ■ it., was the concern of the State to .ensure that children. were provided with efficient teeth, and that if the parents could not undertake the expense the State would take the responsibility. The principle ■ would be carried further, and dental be" made available to all. The' paper • met with criticism, mainly on the-lines that State employment would remove the great incentive to the individual* {o do his best work.. Dr. Cox, in reply,- stated • that his ideas had metwitha more.-favour-able reception than when they were put before the-.conference. ;iiv,: 1913, ■"■wjjenr every speaker got* lip to criticise. He put down the change to the war, which had made us all realise the necessity-"for national organisation and compulsion for the sake of efficiency. ; : . ......

' A small committee ■was setu^ tp_con^ fer with. the«-Mmister" ofTubTlo^'flealthin rega,r.d'*"K> .the dental treaime£t .. of schools-children;."; --^ 'Z 1".~~..*^" ~. .•"■'■ The HfolTowing»officers -were elected^:— 1 President," £Mjv "~ F. --= -ITI *Vfasfi£oiirDe ■ (TiiUaru)";..Mce-president and spreslflent;, elect; •Mr...:G,;,:W.';^fright;:.(D.anHeTtrke) ■%': chairman of executive) Lieut.-Col.' J. N. Rishworth; hon; secretary, Mr. Claude H. Moses (Auckland)'; hon. treasurer, Lieut. W. R. Raeburn. ,'■;.'!*!,"