DENTAL TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 15, 17 July 1918, Page 4

DENTAL TRAINING

TO'IBB EDITOR. grrj—Replying to tho dental deputation) Mr. Russell said he "would not support a-policy which would concentrato all dental training at Dtmedin." It is to be hoped that iho will stick to his guns, and that Parliament will support him, for the prime cause of the shortage of dental students is the unduly long and costly course of training at Duriedin. Is this really necessaiy in order to reach a satisfactory standard of proficiency in theoretical and practical dentistry? Surely much of the manual . dexterity could be acquired in any up-to-date dental surgery, while some of the theoretical and. technical studies were being taken in a local university college. Would it not be adequate if the -compulsory course of training 1 required two years of it to be served in a dental surgery, the student being paid reasonable wages for his services, and the remainder of the torm served in somo recognised dental college, where the pass subjects could also be taught? If this were done it would bring dentistry, more within the reach of our young men, while at tho same time there is, no reason to suppose this would lower the present standard of dental service in New Zealand, for it must be borne in mind that very few of our dentists have gone through the present course, most of them having obtained registration before the present Act came into force. It is. | of course, easy to suggest this would open tho way to "aggressive commercialism," but the needs of the community must not be subordinated to the few who seek to create what may be some "snobbish pvef«seioa»H«m." Th* main puupwe of ou? Rental ,La.wj is J» . jurptept ih«

people and to ensure a supply of reasonably efficient dentists, and- not to make dentistry tho special preserve of the wealthy. It is, therefore, desirable that the authorities should look well into the present system before they grant bursaries, which aro being sought in order to maintain the present order of things.—l am, etc.. OBSERVER. 16th July.