DENTAL EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND

Evening Star, Issue 16398, 14 April 1917, Page 2

DENTAL EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND

[By T. K. Sidey, M.P.]

The subject of the training of dental students is now coming prominently under public notice, and in view of possible proposals that may shortly he brought forward it behoves not only dental practitioners but everyone—and in particular all interested, in the Dunedin Dental School to watch very closely future developments. As one who has for many years been deeply interested in this question, and who drafted and piloted through the House the present Dentists Act, I am submitting for consideration a few observations on this subject s

1. The present shortage of dental students is not due to any fault or flaw in the Dentists Act. If any fault is to bo found with respect to the conditions resulting from the legislation of 1904 it must be assigned not to the Act but to the regulations that were subsequently made under it. In framing the Dentists Act I provided for a double qualification—a degree and a certificate. I was aware that the University Senate, in whom the power was vested, would have little option as regards the standard required for the degree, as that had to satisfy the requirements of the British Medical Council, In order to secure recognition in Britain and in all British countries. That standard, however, might represent so great an advance over tlie qualification in Now' Zealand at that time that I considered it desirable to give the Senate power to confer a certificate, which, while ensuring a good practical training, would represent a lower qualification than the degree, but which would entitle the holder to practise in this country. There was no dental association then in New Zealand to voice the opinions of the dentists. The association came into existence as q result of the Act. [Many of the dentists, however; characterised the double qualification as n blot on the measure; and when the regulations were framed the distinction between the degree and the certificate was made so .small as practically to make only one qualification—that of the degree. Now, it will. 1 think, be conceded that, provided students come forward in ample numbers, the higher the standard of efficiency the better. When, however, the regulations were framed I was and always have been apprehensive Jest the very great advance secured by the Act in the interests of dentistry might be jeopardised by lack of students; and an effort, which unfortunately was unsuccessful, was made to secure for the Dental School a very substantial endowment, to be applied for the financial assistance of dental students, giving preference to those who have to leave home to attend the school. Such a scheme would have advertised the school, attracted students, and gone a long way to_ prevent the present situation from arising; and .something of the kind may yet materially assist in the future solution of the question. 2. Among the proposals that have been suggested is one to establish schools in other centres. Let me point out that the shortage of dental students is not explained by the fact that the Dental School for New Zealand is in Dunedin. This is clear from the fact that students resident in Dunedin have not joined the school any mors freely than students from a distance. Neither is the shortage to bo explained, except in a minor degree, by the increased cost of the dental course, for under the old regime premiums of £IOO and oven £2OO were freely given; and though those were returned to the apprentices in the shape of a. small weekly wage, ho in many cases paid in addition large coaching fees. 3. In considering the causes that have contributed to the present shortage of students, one must not lose sight of" the fact that there was something in tlie nature of a rush into the profession shortly before and for a time after the Act was passed. It may not be generally recognised, but it is a fact, that there are to-day (or would be but for the war) many more dentists in New Zealand in proportion to population than there, were in 1904. Unfortunately, the dentists’ register cannot be taken as giving the exact number of dentists who are in practice, as there are names of those who are no longer practising that have not been removed. And here let me say that, had it not been for opposition in certain quarters, provision would have been made in the Act for the payment by the dentists of a small annual practising fee. This would have ensured that the register would at all times have been a true index of the number of practising dentists. As it is, the register can be taken as only approximately indicating that number. Now, on the Ist January) 1904, there were 557 names on the dentists’ register, while on the Ist January, 1917. the number was 764, being an increase of 367. or 92 per cent. ’Hie population of New Zealand, including absent soldiers, increased during the same period by about 37 per cent. As compared with ’the, Ist | January, 1905, the. increase was 500, or ! about 65 per cent., while the population increased by about 33 per cent. These figures indicate that there is fullv double the number of dentists per head ol population in New Zealand 10-day than when the Act was passed ; and, even making a very liberal allowance for register inaccuracies and other considerations, my former statement that there are many more dentists in proportion to population than in 1914 is amply borne out. Further, a glance at the. i-egiater clearly shows that it is quite erroneous to assume that wa have maintained our supply of dentists with men of American qualifications. It is. of course, admitted that the large incicasc in the number of dentists took place some years ago. For the last six years the register only shows an increas’e of some 30 names. Nevertheless, the abnormal increase in the earlier period must be regarded as influencing the situation in the, later period. It is also to be acknowledged that, in view of a more general appreciation on the part of the public of the necessity to obtain the services of the dental practitioner, a larger proportion of dentists to population is probably required to-day than some years ago. 4. While 1 have drawn attention to considerations bearing on this question, I am at the same time of opinion that the present dental curriculum must be regarded as an important cause of the shortage of students. As has been pointed out. tho distinction between the certificate and the degree has been such as in practice to abolish the distinction between them. The entrance examination test in general knowledge greatly diminished the field of available students; and. onco through the preliminary examination, which also opened the door to the medical profession, most of the students havo preferred to spend a little longer time at tho University and take the medical degree, the medical course probably being considered to offer greater prizes and a higher status.. The inferior status of the dental practitioner is due largely to tho conditions obtaining before the present Act wa* passed ; and with the influx into the profession that has been already referred loan influx which included some who had been practising as unregistered men, and who were admitted without any test ns to their qualifications—it is not’ surprising that the status is not as high as that of the medical profession. There has been no abnormal increase in tlie ranks of medical men. A comparison of the medical with the dental register since 1904 shows that, after making ample allowance for the recent purging of tho medical register, tho proportionate increase of medical nieti since the Ist January, 1904, is not more than one-half that of dentists. Provided present conditions arc not interfered with to too great an extent, the improvement of tho status, of the dental practitioner is only a matter of time, and although the prizes may never he equal to those obtaining in the medical profession, they should he quite good enough to attract plenty of students. Tliat the present curriculum is in large measure responsible for the ipresent situation lias been recognised by the Dental Association, which last veaV recommended to the Senate a modified hur'riculiim for the certificate of proficiency. The Senate did not finally deal with: the matter, but have left it over for consideration at their next session.

5. As to the future, might I urge that caution be at present exercised in tin; introduction of important proposals. Let it be remembered that we are not living in normal times. Quite apart from "the causes above mentioned, a shortage of students while \ye are in the third year of

is not to bo wondered at, and may I say that we do not seem to have been sufficiently aljre to the necessity of retaining a sufficient number of dentists for the requirements of our people at home. The dentists are specialists whose work is essential for the health of the community, but largo numbers of them are fighting in the ranlcs. No restrictions have been placed on their voluntary enlistment, and the appeals of two dentists whose cases recently came before the Military Service Board at Christchurch were dismissed. These things are responsible if there is a shortage of dentists in the country. There ie frequently a tendency to go from one extreme to another. Too great a lowering of_ the standard for the certificate of proficiency may leave little encouragement to students to aim at the higher qualification of tlie degree ; and it is in the public interest that those who are authorised to give advice and to operate upon organs so important to health as the teeth are now recognised to bo should be as highly qualified as possible. We have now a system of free secondary education—which should mean that a standard of general education equal to university entrance requirements should be attained by a much larger percentage of our population than formerly. We have also a system of universary bursaries, under which a student of average ability can secure from the Stats payment of his university fees to the extent of £2O per annum. The present Dentists Act, though not quite as perfect as it would have been had one not been obliged to acoapt compromises to get it through the House, has nevertheless proved itselt an effectual measure. It has stood tlie test in those cases in which its provisions have been challenged in the law courts; and it has remedied a condition of things that was fast becoming a scandal. Hie old Act afforded little protection to the public, and was unfair to the rcristered practitioner, as it was capable”of evasion by unregistered men. There was nothing to ensure uniformity of standard n tno examinations. Large premiums were taken for the training and teaching of apprentices, with no guarantee that such training and teaching was given, and in many cases there is no doubt it was not given. 10-clay the country has got a register which, while it mav contain names oi some who have ceased to practise, certainly contains all the names of the practising dentists. The unregistered practitioner is practically unknown. Some con-Mdeia-tjon is also due to the dentists. Apart from their patriotic services in the military camps a largo amount of gratuitous work The j )y . them 111 OUl ' hospitals, -the staff ot dentists who have acted as demonstrators to the students at tlie Dental School has always been a purely honorary staff. Leading dentists 1 have voluntarily given their valuable time for this work. Ihe dentists throughout New Zea and contributed £I,OOO towards the establishment of the Dunedin school. The Aew Zealand Dental Association has made recommendations which have au important bearing on tins question. Tims it is now some years since the association sent a deputation to tlie Government to advocate j : at ’J n , VI T °, f , its national importance, he State should undertake the care of ami G et ‘t l i° tie chl l dreu in o»r schools, a.id that by way of experiment a commencement should be made with one or two schools, vehicles with dental chairs u'" S / 51 ' oVlc j ed fo1 ’ Du’s purpose. I am pleased to observe that the Minister proposes to discuss this question with the Wellhmton 116 approachln S conference in In view of considerations such as have been mentioned and of the importance of the subject I feel sure the Minister will not act without mature consideration, and M l . Pf' tlcu . lar - l et me express the hope Unit he will not at this juncture go back upon the legislation of 1904, but will o-ive the .senate the opportunity of fully considering the whole position” and of making such amendments to the regulations as it uioa think advisable, the Act already providmg that any regulations made or amended must receive the consent and approval of the Minister.