THE STUDY OF DENTISTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16499, 27 March 1917, Page 7

THE STUDY OF DENTISTRY.

Sir,— some time past it Las been compulsory for dental students to spend four years in study at the Otago Dental '.School, before they ' would be granted a diploma. -. This, " of ■ course;' requires an amount of money which everyone cannot afford. The cost of four years' tuition in the"' Otago College is ! £119, besides : board, books, and instruments, which must be supplied by the student. The total cost would be about £200, and' since some young men who wish to be dentists are placed in the - unfortunate , position of having to keep their parents, they cannot become i qualified ■: for this; profession. Thisj I think, is. an injustice. In New Zealand ■ sons of parents who are not wealthy must not think of the dental profession, simply because -they . are 1 unfor-tunate-enough to be poor. If they had . not ito leave ; home to sfiidy they ; would hive'.a'chance, but. owing to the Dental School ; being in Dunedin,;while perhaps tire' student lives in Auckland, he sees no likelihood :of over completing the required study: .. Now, as the Minister for Publio Health lias at his disposal a sum of money whicHl-Ke.: stated in : a speech a few .days V ago he intends devoting ,to dental work, why 1 riot '•■. begin at the - beginning, ,and'_ use it to educate youns: ; men tio Ibecome'dentists:'; This he could do by causing 'to be erected : in. eaoh of the .four 'centres a dental school, so : that the sons of poor parents'would be given an eqijal chance with 'those of the : rich. Dens. ,•. -^Auckland, March 24, 1917.