FACULTY OF DENTISTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22751, 11 December 1935, Page 2

FACULTY OF DENTISTRY

REPORT FOR THE YEAR STATEMENT BY DR DODDS Dr Dodds, director of the faculty of dentistry, submitted the following report on the working of the Faculty of Dentistry to the meeting of the University Council yesterday: — During the year the number of students in attendance has been 131, of whom 123 have been degree students and eight certificate students, five being women students. There has been an additional number of 10 students taking the special course in mechanical dentistry, eight of these being women. It will be noted that the number and percentage of degree students constitute records for the Dental School. This is very satisfactory, and it is the direct result of the efforts of the staff to keep the relative number of degree students as high as possible. I would repeat what I have pointed out in earlier reports, that the certificate course serves simply as a standby for those who cannot or do not pass the B.D.S. examinations. A proposal is on foot to abolish it altogether. NO OVERCROWDING. The number of students qualified during the year was 20, of whom 18 were degree and 2 certificate. After some 10 years' experience in this matter, I would say that the supply and demand in the dental profession are very nicely arranged. It is a purely fortuitous, but none the less very happy, circumstance that there appears to be no overcrowding in dentistry in New Zealand, and that the wastage is being met very adequately. Despite the fact that the recent November examinations have been completed less than a week, most of the successful candidates have been already settled in positions or have definite prospects of being so in the near future. Thus I have reason to believe that my statement of last year, viz., that our "young graduates have reasonably bright prospects of a satisfactory career," is correct. The work of the year has progressed smoothly, with no major difficulties arising, and again I have to thank the staff, particularly Professor Burt and Mr Rout, for their able assistance and co-opera-tion. PATIENTS' ATTENDANCES. The clinical record may be considered to be particularly satisfactory this year, and the returns from the various departments demonstrate a reasonable balance. Here also the school has set new standards, and the total amount of work is considerably greater than ever before. The number of patients' attendances, some 24,000, demonstrates the place the Dental School is taking in this community. The matter of the supply of free work to the indigent is no longer an embarrassment to both staff and students, as it is under complete control. The system evolved, which was put into operation last year, has been further tested and work 3 splendidly. This ensures that those really in need receive the necessary treatment, but under proper control. This system is carried out in conjunction with the Hospital Board office. Further, it is a very hopeful sign that the demand for free treatment is not nearly so great, it being my experience that a great majority of people who can pay some small fee prefer to do so. At the end of May Mr D. T. Allan, 8.D.5., completed his year, and his place has been taken by Mr J. F. Fuller, B.B>S. Miss Tattersfield, the assistant in orthodontics, has been appointed for a further term of one year, and completes her term in May next. RESEARCH WORK. A development during the year has been the setting aside of a small laboratory for research work alone. This has been equipped by means of a little ingenuity on the part of members of the staff, enabling the work to bo carried out much more efficiently and comfortably than in the past. There is no special grant for research work at the school, and all equipment and materials have to be improvised or obtained in the ordinary way from the annual grant. Despite that, Mr .Rout has continued with his inquiries into bone infections about the teeth and shortly will be in a position to publish the result, and Mr Fuller has commenced some very satisfactory and promising work on salivary analysis in relation to dental disease. The matter of dental disease is of such importance to all classes of the community that it is a great pity that this national school has not more facilities for research. As it is, we are dependent on the members of the staff alone to carry it on as best they may at odd times, and, though they have done some really good work, it appears that there is an urgent necessity for a complete department, properly endowed, for this work. Continuous effort is essential for research work, and, in the nature of things, that is impossible here, as the young graduates cannot be retained after a short period. It is an extraordinary fact that in this country, where dental disease presents a serious national problem, and which affects every member of the community in some measure, there is no organised attempt to investigate and deal with it. I think I am correct in saying that the matter of investigation into dental disease can be classed among the most urgent problems of our time. CLINICAL WORK. Again the students have had every opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of modern dentistry. All departments have been busy and no difficulty has been met with regard to clinical material; in fact, there is more available than it is possible to cope with. Two modern developments are worth noting, one being the use of stainless steel in preference to precious metals in various appliances, particularly in orthodontic work, and the other the development of the porcelain type of filling to near perfection. Both of these were demonstrated very successfully by a recent graduate at the annual conference. ORTHODONTIC DEPARTMENT. The schedule of work will demonstrate the activity of this department. In the course of the year, work additional to that carried out by students was undertaken by Professor Burt and his assistant, Miss Tattersfield, viz., some six cases, these being included in the total given. A number of cases had to be deferred until 1936 owing to inability to cope with them. PROSTHETIC DEPARTMENT. The staff in this department has now to be reorganised and a lecturer appointed to act as superintendent of the laboratory. As this department deals with the early years of the course, and lays the foundation for the future work of the student, it has a very important influence on the school. CLINICAL WORK FOR YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30. Total number of fillings, 5336; total number of inlays, 1016; total number of crowns, 103; total number of bridges, 33: total number of X-rays, 1158; total number of dentures. 656; total number

of repairs to dentures, 433; total number of orthodontic cases—Cases under active treatment 113, cases under passive treatment 11, cases under preventive treatment 6, cases completed 45; total number of anaesthetic cases —general 427, local 1149; total number of patients' attendances 24,213; total number of operations, 21,492; total number of oral surgery cases (staff demonstrations), 79. WORK DONE UNDER AUSPICES OF HOSPITAL BOARD.

The following amount of work is included in the above: —Number of free patients registered, 507; number of dentures, 298; number of repairs to dentures, 110; number of fillings, 1018; number of X-rays, 131; number of inlays, 128; number of patients receiving extractions under nitrous oxide, 131; number of patients receiving extractions under local anaesthetic, 291; approximate amount of free work for year to end of November, £960 5s 4d. OTEKAIKE SPECIAL SCHOOL.

Number of fillings, 325; number of scalings, 49; number of pyorrhoea cases, 2; number of extractions, local, 104; number of patients examined, 229; number of patients treated, 186. The report was received, and it was decided to forward a copy to the senate of the New Zealand University.