CONFERENCE OF DENTISTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12817, 17 July 1912, Page 9

CONFERENCE OF DENTISTS.

cairn; of the tkktii

(I'er l'rc.as Association.)

WELLINGTON', tliis day. The annual meeting of the New Zealand JJontai Association \va,s begun yesterday at Victoria College. .Mr J. X. Rishworth (piTsulout) occupied the chair, 'l.'horc were between 70 and 80 delegates present- from all .parts of the Dominion. In lii.s opi'iiing- ad-dress, the president said thevc was iui dciuhl I that caries of the tenth were now m> universal, and until lately the trait - ment had been so unsatisfactory, and m many instances the dentist was himself half -hearted m his efforts to save them, that it was small wonder that the public became careless, and felt that the loss of their teeth was -unavoidable, it was for the dental practitioners to prove that it was now no longer necessary to lose a single tooth if due and proper care was exercised. The actual loss of a tooth *vas not m itself so important, but it was the gradual decay, continuing with all its attendant evils until the tooth was iinally lost, which had such a detrimental effect upon the constitution of the patient. That was the position which parents .altogether failed to appreciate. Last month the stipendiary dentist attached to the Dental Hospital m Auckland, together with a member of the honorary dental staff, made an inspection of the teeth of the children at a. public school m Auckland. They found that out of 190 children 'examined. 98 had one or more decayed teeth. Only 13 had ever visited a dentist, and only 10 ever cleaned - their teeth, and the condition of some, ;of the mouths was appalling- m the extreme. A large number of these children already had their constitutions pernijanently undermined by the conditions due to the neglect of their teeth. What was true of that school was unfortunately - more or less characteristic of -eyery.sch.ool m New Zealand. In dental matters New Zealand was very far, behind older countries. Dental hospitals were so- easily equipped and; managed, that it should be possible to establish one m every centre 'of 5000 inhabitants. The cost of maintaining them would be trifling as compared to the good results which would accrue. A dental of school ■children would be of little use (except that it would focus public attention on the deplorable condition of the teeth), unless we had some practical means of helping those people who were unable to pay. There was plenty of scope for bequests for the establishment of dental hospitals, which institutions would be of untold value to the community, and no more deserving object could be selected for generosity. The president said he was glad to note that the executive was taking steps to publish a treatise on the care and diet necessary for the better conservation of the teeth. Roughly speaking there was £500,000 spent annually m New Zealand by people who m some measure attended to their teeth. About half that amount would be saved if people only heeded the advice of their dentists, and- attended \ at regular intervals, say, every three or six months, for an examination.

The conference will continue until Friday. On Thursday evening there will be .an entertainment, at which the Prime Minister (Hon. W. P: Massey) and other members of the Ministry are expected to be present. -