UNREGISTERED DENTISTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18455, 17 January 1922, Page 5

UNREGISTERED DENTISTS

THE AMENDING BILL. • v f ADVERSE CRITICISM. .’ ■ Jesou Uvb Own Cobbzspondknt.) . s _ / AUCKLAND, January 16. The Herald in referring to the - Dentistaf -* Amendment Bill Says: “It is one of Hm least defensible of educational monopolies, which have been Allowed .to grow up, in New Zealand that registration depends -upon d four-years’ course at the Dunedih School of Dentistry. The centralisation of, this . branch of professional traiiling in 'Don* edin has'prevented many men who have served long and creditable apprenticeahips iri dentistry gaining registration, and tificially limits candidates for entry to ,tho''“ profession. Indeed, ’there is. grave reason to fear that 'unless; this monopoly is .broken down the number jof qualified dentists will 1 . become fewer ana fewer, proportionate to' the growing population, and an irresistible • popular • demand will arise for the adrais- . skm of' Candidates loss qualified than menz of , the assistants the present * BiU threatens to debar. Tha. etatus and quali-' fications of dentists should be maintained, but the door to the profession-should .bo wide enough to ’admit a sufficiem number of practitioners to meet' the growing donunnd for them services. As long aa/thor.;only avenue: to the is through the Dunedin School of Dentistry, it will- 1 be undermanned. The course is eo pensive os to make little appeal to. the ,'t youth of the North Island, and experience is proving that. Dunedin does not furnish a sufficient supply of candidates. >. ** “The Auckland University College Counoil proposed years ago that, dental students should be taught in each of the four centres ,and nothing less'than' this measuroof- de- ( centralisation will keep the. ranks''of -tho , profession full. It is a grotesque altpnudy'' < that a young New Zealander living in any of the four centres can qualify in-law,' without Waving his home, but if he';wjdjfie:HS to become a dentist he must find.'the''nwana of supporting himself id Dunedin for four,'