Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-07
DENTISTRY.
How 10 Conduct a Practice.

Without reflection this subject may not
seem to be Of much importance, but when
we begin to see that our bread and butter,
as well as everything else, depends upon
our conduct, as dental practitioners, it will
present Itself in a different light. And as
there is a right and wrong way Of doing
everything, It is well that we should know
as much of the right way as possible before
beginning anything. Having been engaged
in the practice Of dentistry twenty years, /
will give you some of my views in regard
to how you should conduct yourselves as
dental practitioners. To do so will neces-
sarily have to go back where commenced.
| We all know it is better to make good
beginning than bad one, SO will say, if
l had to begin dentistry again, l would look
the country over for good preceptor. In
doing so would in the first place try to find
an honest man; in the second place one
well skilled 10 bis profession; thirdly one
not only able but wiling to impart that
which he knows.
With such preceptor, and with re-
| spectacle education (Which is necessary,
who will apply himself as be should for
two years, will be able to enter a dental
college fully prepared to appreciate every
lecture that he may hear, as well as under
stand something of every demonstration
made in his presence. This may be termed
stepping off on the right foot, or in other
words, starting Alright.
Now, gentlemen, that have gotten up
| to where | find you Cat the New Orleans
Dental College,, l would advise you to
avail yourselves of every advantage the in
stitution will afford you. See that nothing
| is left undone that will add to your success
as dental practitioners when you return
home. Try and turn every lecture and
demonstration that gou see and hear in this
college to good account. No one can rea-
sonably expect to do anything well until he
has properly prepared himself for the work;
and as good dentistry is very hard to do,
you must understand that it requires no
little effort to dc it. So you see, gentlemen,
the necessity of thoroughly preparing your
selves for the work. Let the foundation of
your dental education be practical and solid;
persevere, and success will inevitably fol-
low.
If all who are now engaging in dentistry
| could be made sensible of this fact, we
would have more fourishiDg dental colleges.
| They are institutions that are indispensa-
Bile, we cannot get along without them, and
| the sooner we understand it the better.
1 i
should, be more interested in this matter
than we, who have majority of our days be-
| hind US. The demand for scientific dental
| operations will continue to increase until
nothing short ola thoroughly educated pro-
fessor will be able to meet the require
ments. I advise each one of you to not
only to think upon this subject but act. /
should be delighted to know that each one
| of you will go from this college fully i'm
pressed with the importance of thorough
! dental education. You have another very
| important duty devolving upon you, which
| is to assist in educating the people up to
standard that will enable them to appreciate
their teeth. Just as we succeed in educat-
| ing the masses of the people to appreciate
their teeth, so will they honor and respect
US, as profession; so you see, gentlemen,
to conduct practice as you may desire, you
will first have to educate yourselves, and
then your patrons. Just as the people ap-
preciate their teeth they will likely appre-
ciAte your dental services, provided your
skill is not below their knowledge Of the
value of these organs. Taking this view of
the matter you will see the necessity of
working upon two points all the time, first
your own skill; secondly, the education Of
your patrons.
There are three points to be observed in
educating the people in regard to their
teeth. The first is to make them fully SEN
sible of their Importance, which is q very
great point indeed. Tbs second Is TO show
them the way and means of preserving
them; and the third is to enable them to
guard against all humbugs and impostors
and look to the true dentist for all the as
sistance that they may require. 1t may
seem to some of you that l am getting
away from the subject, but when you take
into consideration that no one has tooth
filed or any other operation performed up.
on it, looking to its preservation, who has
not Teen educated to some extent IN the
direction that have been speaking, you
will see that have not lost sight Of my
subject. No man or woman will ever cal
upon either OF you to assist in preserving
their teeth until they have been impressed
with the Importance of your services.
They do not go to dentists to throw away
their money, notwith standing it Is ffeeent
} ly done by those who mistake their men.
This is { subject that have been paying
some little attention to for several years
At meeting of the American Dental Con-
vention, at Detroit, Mich, in lSd3, / sug-
gested the propriety of introducing dental
lessons In school books; spoke of the i'm
portance of reducing them to such simple
ity as would enable children to lea-n them
without any trouble, recommended the cat
: echisri inclined, Just as children are taught
| much OF the Bible in Sunday schools al
present; thought we might commence or
3 little dental cateehism in this TTay: How
: many teeth have you. u Or how many consti
; tute the hT. .. set? Giving the answer.) A
what age in life did you get this your frs
! set of teethP (A) How long doea nature
design this set to serve your (A.) Cal
II they be preserved in a healthy condition
during this period? (A.) How, and 81
; on, until We would teach the little ones al
D about their teeth. And there we woult
$ take up the second set, and go on with ou
lessons through primary course at school
j pretty well educated.
> The society gave me q vote of thanks fo
: the suggestion, and appointed COMMITTEES
to get up the Catechism, but from som
a cause or other they failed to do SO. TIL
: result of which is, nothing has been don
9 in that direction yet, but still hope to Sc
3 such dental lessons in school books as Wi
e enable the people to understand the valu
u and importance of their teeth.
3 If each department of medicine woul
II furnish its ratio of simple health lesson
for school books, in few generations afte
their introduction we would have anothe
sort of people, as far as health is concern
B. ed. As we are creatures of education,
o is important that we should be educate
s Alright. And if there is anything wort
e more to man than another, it must
g health. Then why not impress the min
K in early life with the importance of under
3 standing and obeying the laws of health
e Early impressions seldom fail to make tt
:, man whatever he be in after life. As Sue
d we insist upon these lessons being taugi
le In childhood's days, so that middle age an
d after life may be enjoyed sof-r as health
y concerned.
n Until health lessons are more full
rs taught in schools, we must do the best "
ID can in our department to make the peep
E. understand that their teeth have much to
J. with their general health. Our dental s.
'e cieties can do good deal in this directic
s, if they will turn their attention TO it, and
us am glad to see that some of them are b
IS ginning to do so. Several societies ha'
GO already published short treatises upon u
" teeth, for the public. The New Orleal
lo nanf0l haua inst puhiahad