Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-09-24
DENTISTRY AND ITS SECRETS.


A Profession In which Big Incomes Are
Realized -- Women Dentists.
One afternoon, not long ago, met a
friend, dentist, who, being in a conf
dental mood, consented to talk of the
profession of which he is shining
ornament. He said
Dentistry is not what it is cracked up
to be, and, although it pays big profits
many bills for work done are not collect
able. For this reason honest men and
women are compelled to suffer for the
transgression of dead BEATS l have a
friend who recently sold set of teeth for
$95 which cost him exactly $16.20. By
a set of teeth l mean upper and lower
SETS The teeth mentioned above were
set on aluminium. Teeth set on rubber
cost the patient $50 and the dentist $40.
The prices given are average ones Some
dentists who serve the best people ask
even higher rates. All dentists claim to
do their mechanical work on their prem
ises This is not so. Less than one-haf
of the dentists in Brooklyn do their own
work or employ mechanical men by the
week. A larger part of the work claimed
to be done by local dentists is performed
! a
make speciality of that branch of the
business"
"What are mechanical dentists paid
for their services?" | asked.
Eight dollars per set, which includes
upper and lower. The dentist so con-
tracing for the work is obliged to furn-
ish the teeth, which usually cost from
81 to So per double set. Plain teeth are
worth 10 cents and gum teeth ID cents
each. The best teeth are made in Phila-
delphia and are sold at branch of the
manufacturing firm in this city. Den
fists try to convince their patients that
teeth are very expensive, and that to
make an upper and lower set takes two
or three days. This is all humbug. A
mechanical dentist who is a good work.
man can make three sets in twenty-four
hours. You can see by the foregoing
figures that patients pay good round
prices for a mans name or reputation.
Dentists who employ mechanical men
make plaster paris cast of their pa
tents jaw so as to get the articulation,
or fitting of the teeth, correct.
These casts cost about cents
each, and when made are sent to the
dental laboratories where the remainder
of the work is done. Until the middle
of September dentists might as well close
their offices and go in the country, as
little or no work is being done. The
; months of August and September are
the dullest in the year for the dental
profession.
"Suavity of manner is the great draw
ing card of many dentists. Ladies pre-
, fer to patronize pleasant and agreeable
dentists to men who are surly and I'M
couth in manners. Dentists who are
| personally popular have the largest in
2 comes. Women dentists: Oh, yes. To
my knowledge there is one in Brooklyn
This lady attends almost exclusively to
| women and children. Occasionally she
has male patient but not often"
DO women make a success of dent
J istry:'
| Not always. The feminine mind is
sometimes unable to grasp its intricacies.
Many women dentists practice their pro
9 fession in New York. They are usually
discouraged in their attempts to study
} dentistry, as close association with male
t students has often unpleasant results.
? The only plan which think would work
satisfactorily would be to separate the
t sexes in dental colleges. This plan has
l shown good results in medical schools.
S More women dentists practice their pro
l fession in Europe than in America"
| "How are S12 set teeth, made while
= you wait manufacturers"
| "In almost the same manner that $50
sets are made. A mechanical dentist
: would charge the same price 49, fol-
S making Sl2 set of teeth as he would
: for a higher priced set. Dentists, how
ever, who make teeth at the rate named
always do their own work. In cheap
upper and lower sets of teeth
e the teeth cost 81, while in the
e higher priced sets the teeth are worth
g but 81 more. In cheap sets the only
0 additional expense is for rubber and
plaster. The latter is worth, possibly,
cents and the rubber 25. The materials
used in dentistry cost but little. 1t is the
s work and skill for which the patient is
: obliged to pay. Brooklyn Eagle.