STATE DENTISTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14285, 30 April 1917, Page 7

STATE DENTISTRY.

HOW DENTISTS VIEW TT.

TREATMENT OF SCHOOL

CHILDREN,

(Special to the Herald.)

WELLINGTON, this day. During the course of the annual conference .of the New Zealand Dental Association, the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of ' Public Health, addressed the delegates m regard to_ his proposal that there should be established m the cities of Auckland, Wellington, ancr Christchurch, dental hospitals for the treatment of school-children, which would enable dental students to he efficiently trained' by a properly qualified teaching staff. Tlie conference promised the Minister to assist m framing a scheme to meet the shortage of dental students m New Zealand, and there was a long discussion, with tlie result that upon a division, the following motion was adopted : "That with a view to facilitating a curriculum suitable to the teaching capabilities of the centres, that the dental course be twojyears at Aucjcland, Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin, plus two veal's at the Dunedin Dental College." . ! The effect of this proposal, if adopted by the authorities, .will be that the student will be able io secure two years' training m the centre jiearest his own home, and finish at the Dental College m Dunedin. There was an interesting discussion upon the standard of education required as a preliminary to entering upon the dental course, and it was resolved to recommend the maintenance of the matriculation examination m this connection. ! Eight members of |he Association were elected to constitute -j^a committee which will. seek to co-operate with the Senate and, other authorities)' iri the arrangement and conduct of 'the course for the certificate of proficiency m dentistry. An afternoon was spent m discussing an. important. paper by Dr Norman Cox upon- "State Dentists." Be considered it pnly a niatter of time when it would be realised that it was the concern of the State to ensure that children were provided with efficient teeth, arid that if the. parents could not undertake tho expense, the State would take the responsibility. The principle would be carried further, and dental Service be made ! available to all. The paper met with criticism, mainly on the lines that State, employment would remove the great incentive to the individual to do his»best work. Mr Cox, m reply, Stated that his ideas had met with ia. more favorable reception than when thejr were put before the conference-in 1913,' when every .speaker gpt-iip to criticise. He put down the change. to the war, which had' -made us all realise the necessity for national organisation and compulsion for the sake of efficiency. .

A small" committee was set up to confdrvwith the Minister of Public Health m regard to the dental treatment of sdioof children. x ,

.-The following offiders. were elected: President, Mr F. I. Washbourne (Timaru), vice-president and presidentelect, Mr G. W. Wright (Dannevirke) ; chair tnan of executive, Lieut. -Colonel J. N. Rishworth ; hon;. - secretary, Mr Claude H. -Moses (Auckland); hon, treasurer, Lieut. W. R. Raeburn.