Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-05-18
VERMONT DENTISTS IN TOWN
Here for Annual Meeting of
State Society.
President McGoh Discusses status of
the ProfcsSion--E1ssays by Drs.
FarnswOrth of Rutland and
RicthmuIier OF Philadelphia.

About thirty members Of the Vermont
State Dental society were present yester-
day afternoon when the first session of
the forticth annual meeting OF the So
clety was opened at about three O'clock
on the roof garden of the Van Ness
House. DR.. w. II. MCGoT of Montpelier,
president Of the society, is presiding over
the meeting and DR.. Philip Il. Mellen
or Middlebury, the secretary, Is also
present. Tho headquarters of the society
are at the Hotel Vermont while the meet
ings and clinics will be at the Van Ness
House. There is very complete exhibit
in the main dining room Of the Van Ness
| House of dental accessories and spe.
| clalties by various manufacturers
The principal part of yesterday after
Moons session was the address of the
president. In 1t he referred to the
scientific foundation and research COM
mission OF the National Dental associa-
| ton which Is trying to secure pledges
| That VIII enable the employment of eX.
| perts who will devote their entire time
| to some OF the important problems Of
| dentistry. One of the institutions which
| VIII be utilized in this work will be the
| Forsythe Dental Infirmary In Boston. The
| members OF the society will receive reports
| as made by workers at the institution
and may visit 1t and inspect the work
| there
| There should he a reciprocity clause in
| every State law regulating the practice
| or dentistry so that after dentist has
passed the rigid examinations that are
necessary in almost every State and has
| practiced there long enough to establish
| himself as n dentist Of competent ability
| he should be granted a license to practice
| In any other State to which he may
| move. on presentation OF his credentials
| to proper authorities. without being re.
| duired to pass another examinat ton. Men
! engaged In any line OF work become dull
| in theory. So the dentist, working every
day at the chair and in the laboratory
| may forget many Of the technical terms
ne might need to pass an examination
| though he is practicing the Technical!
| operations with success every day. II a
dentist can fill a tooth or make a plate
| on this side OF the Connecticut river
there is no good reason why he should
not he permitted to do on the New
hampshire side, when the authorities
there are shown the credentials that att
| thorized him to do the work here.
dentistry must determine it's own
status. as branch Of medicine or as
an Independent profession. In the last
analysis the physician deals with dis
eases that are durable and undertakes
TO restore normal conditions The den.
list deals with conditions that cannot be
completely remedied and seeks to re-
place rather than restore But, too, as
preventive medicine has come to be
more largely recognized. so preventive
dentistry must be brought to the atten-
uon OF the public. They must in some
way be made to realize that while dem
tistry cannot cure 1t can prevent dental
diseases, If the profession is to perform
It's best service. When the public has
oeen educated to a proper understand
ing of the value Of preventive as well
as operative dentistry. we may look for
dentists as members of boa rds of health,
not as a concession but as a recognized
necessity.
The future Of the dental profession is
In the hands OF the members OF the pro-
, fession. They are important contributors
to the welfare of the community, as
essential to its well being as any other
class Of men. Self-nterest and per-
= sonal and professional pride should urge
them to assert their importance ana
; their dignity.
+ The presidents address was discussed
, by Dr. r. NJ. Chase of Bethel and DR.
!. George o. Mitchell OF ST. Adams An
0 essay on THE Advantages of Fraternal-
ism among Dentists OF the Same Coun-
$ try was then read by DR.. a. w Farms.
= worth of Rutland. with a discussion
opened by DR.. Fred r. Newell of Brat.
tlehoro and DR.. 3. a. Holmes Of Bran.
don.
Last evenings session was taken ur
with an essay by DR.. Richard H. Reth
muller Of Philadelphia. Drs. Harry F
9 Hamilton Of Newport and Philip f. Mel
len of Mildlebury opened the discussion
, which followed the essay. After tn,
., discussion Or. Reithmuler gave Ian
:, tern slide demonstration of conductiv,
, anaesthesia and q moving picture film
, of several operations done under THU
method.