THE DENTAL STUDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18896, 19 December 1924, Page 12

THE DENTAL STUDENTS.

REPLY TO COMPLAINTS.

VALUE OF FIRST YEAR COURSE.

Complaints 'is to tho unsatisfactory conduct of students at the Auckland Dental Hospital, made at the meeting of tho Hospital Board on Tuesday evening, were tho subject of a statement yesterday by representatives of the students.

It was stated that the students had been told by members of tho staff that their conduct had been quite as good as that of students of former years and no complaints had been made to them. It had been asserted that they lacked keenness in their work, but they pointed out that this did not in any way tally with the f.icfc that during tho year a Dental Students' Association had been formed and leading dentists had been asked to read papers at tho fortnightly meetings of that body. Each of tho students had gained sufficient knowledge in the first three months of the course to take them through the year, the remainder of the period beintj devoted to putting into practice what they had learned. They pointed out that while the instruction was undoubtedly beneficial to the students, tho work they did was to the advantage of the board, as dental mechanics would otherwise have to be employed. It was stated by these students that it was essential that there should bo facilities for instruction at Auckland during the fust year of study and it was feared that the attitude taken up by the board might bo the means of excluding students in the' future.