The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-09
TO REGULATE DENTISTRY.
savannah Dentists Do Not Think
Much of DIR. Best's Circular.

Much of DIR. Best's Circular.
| DR.. A. o. Best of Augusta, formerly Of
Savannah, has issued circular, in which
he makes a sensational attack upon the
Georgia Dental Association and the state
board Of dental, examiners on account of
bill which has been introduced in the
legislature at the instance of the board,
charging that they are endeavoring to
enslave the dentists of the state and to
establish monopoly.
The bill specifies the qualifications
which a candidate shall possess on COM
ing before the board for examination and
extends the authority of the board to re-
woke the licenses Of those who have prov
en- themselves unfit to practice dentistry.
Section of the bill gives the board the
power to revoke any license that has been
granted and to prohibit any dentist in
lawful practice from further practicing,
upon satisfactory proof that he has be-
come unfit or incompetent Section spec
Ines as evidence of unftness cruelty, inn
morality, incapacity, unskilfulness gross
negligence, indecent conduct towards pa
llehts, or any such professional misbe-
haVlor as unntness on the part of the
De preferred, and the manner of prefer
ring and hearing charges is specified
LII. Best takes special exception to these
TWO sections, and also to the section re-
curing fee of SIS for license from the
candidates who pass the examina ton, as
sertlng That 1t is money making scheme
on the part of the board
DR.. Best is well known in Savannah.
both to the general public, as well as to
lhe members of the profession. Several
dentists were seen yesterday in reference
TO the circular Their opinion is that it
Will have no effect.
Dr A. G.. Bouton, who, as a member
OF pne dental examining board, is natur-
ally most interested in the matter, said
that he did not care to enter into anv
controversy with DR.. Best, but that he
would merely state the position of the
board
Il have been member of the board
since 1878" said he. THE expenses of each
member, by reason of his mem bershiu.
are about $50 per annum over and above
the ices which we receive from candi-
dates, and counting the time lost in at
tending the meetings of the board, 1t
Is to be supposed that our time is worth
something to us. The insinuation that
we have pccunlary interest in the man
agement of the board is ridiculous In
stead of there being a secret attemnt 10
same bill, practically, was before the last
legislature, and would have become a law
put Tor the fact that in the rush at the
close of the session it did not secure a
constitutional majority Of the vote The
measures proposed have been discussed
by the association and by the board dur
ing the last four years. The object of the
bill is simply this: The dental profession
is not upon the high plane which the ma
Jority or its members would like to see
1t. Hundreds of men with little educa-
ton and little or no experience are turn
ed loose annually by the so-called dental
colleges. These colleges have no endow-
ment, and they are conducted almost en-
tirely as money-making enterprises Only
one dental college in the country so far
as / know, has made any attempt to ele-
waite its standard. The object of the bill
is to fix certain requirements as to ed
ucation and experience before
candidate will be allowed to
pass the examina tons One of these re-
quirements is that the candidate must
have diploma from some dental college
whose standard is equal to that of the av-
erage of the majority OF the dental col
leges throughout the country AS the law
stands now, a candidate who has never
even attended a dental college can stand
the examination, and If he passes, the
board is required to give him a license.
There are numbers of incompetent dem
lists practicing in this state and the board
has not sufficient authority to deal with
them. The law is defective in that it does
not provide for the expense of prosecuting
| illegal practitioners. DR.. Best is practicing
without license from the state board and
could be prosecuted for doing so. Steps
to prevent him from practicing would
probably have been taken before now, but
for the trouble and expense of conducting
such prosecution. He is doubtless afraid
that the sections of the bill to which he
objects may be applied to his case"
/ Or. H. S. Colding, one of the recent pres
idents of the Georgia Dental Associa ton,
was seen, and expressed himself similarly
/ to DR.. Bouton
"Dr. Bests opposition" said DR.. Cold
/ ing, Is not likely to have any effect.
The bin is a wise one and should be adopt
ed The fee of SIS for licentates is not
/ high. If 1 should remove to the state of
New York / would have to pay a fee Of
S25 and stand an examination before the
board of state dental examiners there be-
/ fore l would be allowed to practice in that
state"
The bill as proposed does not require
! dentists already holding licenses from the
/