DENTAL SCHOOL.

Northern Advocate, 30 July 1924, Page 8

DENTAL SCHOOL.

AUCKLAND ESTABLISHMENT. DETERMINED ATTITUDE. (Special to "Northern Advocate.") AUCKLAND, This Day. The question of the establishment of a dental school in Auckland was discussed by the Auckland Hospital Board last evening. The chairman, Mr W. Wallace, said that the University College Council had approached the Board on the matter 3 and the Board offered co-operation. A , committee had been appointed by the Minister of Health to take evidence on dental education in the Dominion. There was, however, no intention of taking evidence in Auckland until pressure was brought to bear by the University College Council and .the Board. The committee's report had been written before the Auckland evidence was taken and subsequently had to be rewritten. That report had been rejected by the Minister. They should protest against the Minister's action. Auckland was not going to beg, but was going to demand. The members of the committee were alarmed at the lack of clinical material for dental students in Dunedin, but admitted there was a surplus. The Auckland Board now had I two lady dentists on the hospital staff, i If there were facilities for dental train- ! ing in Auckland 20 students would i come forward each year. The hospital had started with one dental chair. It j now had seven and could do with 10. jHe moved that a most emphatic pro- ! test be made against the attitude of j the Minister in connection with dental education in Auckland. Mr M. J. Coyle seconded the motion, ! which was carried. J The chairman also proposed the initiation of a clinical course as distinct from the theoretical. Already that was being • done in Christchurch. It was proposed to have three different courses for three terms similar to the scheme fin Dunedin. He thought it would be, better to pay nominal remuneration for instruction so that the teachers j would give their best. Such a scheme would be an enormous benefit to the staff and to the profession generally, also to the patients. j It was decided to consult Dr | McGuire, medical superintendent. j The chairman expressed the hope that ! the thin end of the wedge had been inserted towards getting a dental school j for Auckland. i