DENTAL EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19760, 10 April 1926, Page 2

DENTAL EDUCATION.

THE NEW SCHOOL NEARING COMPLETION. MODERN FACILITIES FOR TUITION. The new dental school is now well on the way towards completion, and in the course of a couple of months or so the teaching staff and students will have the satisfaction of moving into quarters where they can carry out their duties under conditions that will give them every opportunity of displaying their abilities to the best advantage. The erection of a building somewhat In keeping with the importance of dental education is long overdue, and it says a great deal for the loyalty and patience of Mie staff that they carried on for so long in premises that were entirely unsuitable for their purpose. In recent years the public have realised more than ever they did before the importance of treatment in (he early stages of -dental disease, and as a consequence the need for the adoption of the latest scientific knowledge in the dental profession has been brought into prominence. Hitherto the training -of the ever-increasing nnmb B r of students has been carried on under conditions which imposed a very severe ban 11cap on all concerned, and it is very gratify ing to know that those obstacles will shortly ho removed.

The new Dental School building is situ ated in King street, in rloso proximity to the Hospital and the Medical School. The surrounding ground on all three sides is vested in the University Council, and forms part of the Beverly. Trust. The building is one of t'>ree stores and hnp"«’"nt. It is built of brick, and reinforced concrete with Oaninrn stone facing (classical stylo). , In plea it measures 180 ft by 50ft. The interior design is the simnlest possible—rooms mi each side of central envidors. All the '"ems nr» en th n south side. The interior is finished in white plaster. The skirtings and margins of corridors 1 important rooms are of “terrano” or “fa.ma.” and all corners are rounded. An electric lift runs from the basement to the top floor. It is automatic in action, and is solely for the conveyance of patients and heavy stores. Hot and cold water is supplied to all basins sinks, lavatories, and cuspidors. A compressed nir plant in the basement will supply benches in three laboratories. An internal telephone system connects 10 or 12 of the principal rooms. An electric indicator svst°’n connects the chairs in the clinic on the ton floor and the waiting room on the ground floor. Each chair is numbered. When it is reedy for a patient the student turns Ip’s indicator and the corresponding number illuminated in r p '' appears in the waiting room. The child with the same number in red on its card then goes no the lift to the vacant chair. It is hoped in this way to eliminate the bad pysehological effect produced bv, children waiting in the same room in -which other® arc being operated on. Entering frptn the front on the ground floor are the following rooms in the right-hand side:—Dean’s room, library (then patients ’entrance, lift, and staircase), women’s common: room, laboratory for dental histology and pathology, preparation rooms. At the end of the corridor is the lecture theatre, accommodating 120 students. A feature of this roc-' will lie the lighting of individual .desks so that students may take notes whilst the lantern is in use. Returning down the corridor are the following rooms on the right: Men students’ cloak and common rooms dark room, store room, X-ray r o o ni. examination and charting room, patients waiting room and office. On the first floor is the operating theatre with, a,, large, projecting plate glass Avindow, facing, south. In connection with the theatre are the -following rooms;—(1) Male patients preparation 1 room ; (2) female patients preparation room; (3) men patients’ recovery room; (4) female patients’ recovering room; (5) sterilising room; (uj Storeroom. On this floor also are the prosthetic laboratory and the prosthetic surgery. The laboratory, which will accommodate 72 students at once, is so designed that all th» benches psed in common (such ns those for packing. casting polishing, and plaster work) are situated in the centre, whilst individual benches arc placed under the windows round three sides of the laboratory. Attached to the laboratory- are a storeroom and an issuing office for materials. On the top floor is the clinic, 180 ft by 28ft. This Is lit by 20 large windows facing south and -0 roor lights, each Oft by Bft. It contains GO operating chairs, many of them of make. and . for each chair is provided (l) an all-metal fount"*" cuspidor of Particular strong make fitted with hot and cold water* (2) a combined cabinet ana tab - on a metal stand with swivel action top; (3) electric power plug. 30 of _ the chair-,. will have electric engines; (4) e.ectnc ligh with tilting action shades. For each £r-""P of 10 chairs is provided an electric sten User, pedestal basin with elbow notion taps and writing desk. In the centre of the room is the dispensary, where two uurs - attendants will issue materials and drugs ami keep the necessary records. On the north side of this floor are the fo.lowing rooms :-(l) Clinical demonstration, con r tabling a tiered stand for students, a operating chair (Wilkinson), an! Rittu unit; (2) room for operative .•JeiiDsny juniors; (3) museum; (4) crown ami bridge laboratory; (5) store room: (C) staff room The basement contains: —(1) Boiler room, (2) repair workshop, (3) air comnvssor room, (4) store rooms. It is hoped that the local Dental Association will make the new school its headquarters, and wi.l find the library convenient for irs meetings zniu the clinical demonstration room useful for its clinics. In the course of e chat with a Dai y Times reporter yesterday Mr J. J. I'aulkner, of Hawkes ’Bay, consented to give a few impressions regarding the new school ‘T have been in America,” he said, ‘and though institutions there are larger. 1 do pot think the school in Dunedin could be improved upon as far as convenience, lighting and general arrangements are concerned. Dental education occupies, or should occupy, very important place in tho life of the community, and I hope that tho now school will fjot the financial backing which it deserves. 1 have heard privately that the salaries paid are not commensurate with the importance of the work performed' by the members of the teaching staff, who must not only be expert practical dentists, but who have the faculty of imparting to the students, the expert knowledge which they possess. * A point that has occurred to mo relates to the question of representation on the controlling body. At present, I understand, the dental profession has no direct-representation on the University Council, and I think it would be a good idea if representation were given, in view of tho importance of the professon." The speaker went on to pay a tribute to the excellence of the work performed by Dr Pickerill (director ot the school). He stated that he spent Thursday afternoon at the public hospital watching Dr Pickerill performing; operations, and he could only describe the work he saw ns marvellous. Dr Pickerill. however, occupied such a high place in his profession that there was no need to elaboate on this phase of his work. Mr Fraulkner went on to say that the new dental school would meet all requirements (o>- many years to come. Tho contrast between tho old school and the new one was most striking In the old school it was almost impossible to get the maximum out of either the staff or the students, and the conditions under which the work hud to be carried on might almost be described as insanitary. In conclusion. Mr Faulkner said he thought that the erection of the new school was a fitting recognition of what dentistry could do, and was doing, tor mankind in the alleviation of suffering Mr G. IT. Parkinson, L.D.S., Eng., and M.S. of the North-Western University, Chicago, who recently returned from America, expressed the opinion that tho new school was a really good one, and one which compared very favourably with any that he had seen while ho was away. It was rather difficult at the present stage to form a definite opinion with reference to the equipment because the whole of it had not come to hand, but if it were as good as tho building they would have a remarkably fine institution, of which they would have every reason to be proud. Owing to the increase in the size of the institution tho equipment would necessarily have to he on a much larger scale than at present. Tho opening of the new school would enable a very big advance to be made in the training of students. The accommodation in the past had been so cramped that it had been extremely difficult to do justice to this very important feature of the work. The development of the institution along the line of practical work bad been materially retarded owing to the fact that the facilities available were not Sufficient. He i could not help feeling that the school was

under-staffed., There were _ not enough qualified men to carry on tne work pioperly. It was ‘essential that those in charge of the students should have time to supervise the work done and to give demonstrations for the benefit of those who were going through the course. Owing to the inadequacy of the accommodation in the past it had been necessary to take students over tc the Marama Hall for a certain portion of their tuition, but this was a big handicap, because there was no equipment in the hall with the exception of a few tables. The growing realisation of the importance of dentistry on the part of the community -varefiected m the increase in the number of students. The number now going through the course was about 50 per con' greater 'than it was some four or five years ago. The public now realised that the fundamental cause of quite a number of disabilities for which medical men were called in was to be found in connection with the teeth. This did not appl.Vi perhaps, to the degree that some people would suggest, but still it was true to a considerable extent. Another visitor, who holds the degrees of D D.S (Philadelphia) and L. D.S. (Eng-), and who spent some days in Dunedin in connection with the Dental Conference, stated that there could be no doubt that a great deal of thought had been devoted to the designing of the buildin*. The authorities were fortunate in having the ad vice of such an expert as Dr Pickerill. who was able to give them the benefit of his experience in other hospitals, and who was further assisted by having plans of those which h had not seen. The speaker went on to state that in most of the dental schools with which he was acquainted the lighting was not so good as it was here The idea! light fo. a dentist’s work was a south light In this hemisphere and a north light in the northern hemisphere, and there was no doubt that the former had been secured in the new school. Provision was also made for lighting from the ceiling so that accommodation could he provided for several rows of chairs. The profession of dentistry was getting broken (in more and more into special departments a® time went on and the provision made for facilities in all the departments was such that the work could be carried on to the best advantage A feature of the K-iPUjug was special demonstrating room, which resembled a miniature operating theatre, where students could watch operations and demonstrations. The new ’-ray apparatus, whic he understood, was a gift from n loral man. would be more powerful than what w-as now in use. From the street the building did not present such an imposing appearance as one could wish, especially if a comparison were made with the Medical School, but that was due to the fact that the director had insisted on having n south light for the clinie. If the building wore on a corner section it would probahlv make a much better appearance Accommodation was provided for a considerable number of students, and the school should provide adequately for tho wants of the communitv for many years to come. The bnildin" at present in use was sadly Jackin" in almost every resnect, and it was grotifvir to be able to look forward to the opening of a school which would enable the staff to work under congenial conditions and make the host use of their opportunities. The proximity of the new school to the Hospital and the Medical School was a decided advantage. As far as lie could see the new building left very little to be desired. The speaker concluded bv expressing the hone that the furnishings would be in'koeping with tho fine building. It would, he considered, ha a great pity if any old apparatus found its wav into the new school.

An ornamental feature above the main entrance will be a handsome bronze casting of Bt. Anollonja. the patron saint of dentist rv. St. Apollonia was born of heathen parents in - Alexandria in 250 but she became a Christian. B"d her father gave her to the governor, who on 'ier refusal to worship an id'll, hound her to -> column, and had all her beautiful teeth pulled out with a nair, of pincers. As she persisted m tmr faith she was consigned to the flames. She is-said to have proved that those who remembered the dav of her martyrdom and in their prayers realise the pain she suf--1 fered might never have toothache or headache. pt - Apollonia has since Keen recognised as the patron saint n f dentistry. - The bronze was modelled by Mr T T U Relsov, University modeller, fr n m a _ conv of the mezzo-gravure bv Carlo Dole! in Rome, and the easting was done at Methven’s foundry. It is a verv fine piece of work, reflecting the greatest credit on those responsible for its production.