Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-17
DENTISTS PART IN THE War
State Society Votes TO Organize
q Dental Unit.
Timely Action Takes at First Days
Session Of Annual Meetlas--Army
Surgeon Tells what Require.
ments Are.


about 40 of the members Of the society
being present. This number will be great
ly increased to-day. tho society having
membership of over 100. The meeting
Is presided over by the president. DR.. II.
NJ. Smith of Lyndonviile. There we're two
sessions yesterday, the first session open
ing late in the afternoon.
/ At the afternoon session Dr. Smith de-
livered the presidents address. after
which DR. L. NJ Petite of winooski read a
paper. THE Technique of Root Canal
| Operations" discussion on this paper be-
Ing opened by DR.. II. NJ. Chase of Bethel
and Dr. p. Mahoney OF Poultney.
| Dr. Smith spoke In part, as follows:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Never in the history Of dentistry has
the profession been so highly regarded as
at the present time. Some Indications OF
the strides In advancement are the For
syth Dental Infirmary for Children at
Boston. dedicated to the science of dentis-
try at a total expenditure of four mil
lions Of dollars, including endowments;
the Eastman Dental Inhrmary of Roches.
ter. N. Y. and other activities throughout
the country. The campaign Of oral n.y.
giene. which is at present sweeping this
country, IL being most enthusiast ically re-
ceived. having the support and endorse.
ment of men high in civic authority. We
turn In another direction and find the Ger.
man army. which has exhibited the great.
est example of human efficiency, laying
great stress on the condition Of the night.
ers' teeth, this same stress being given
to the recruiting in the United States at
the present time. Only by more thorough
organization and corporation can the tre-
mendous demands which now evolve upon
members Of the profession Of dentistry be
met. BENEFITS are already being derived
from recent reorganization of the National
association. with the National Research
Institute and the Preparedness League OF
American Dentists resulting. Vermont
dentistry depends upon the complete or
ganization into one working body OF the
members OF the profession In this State.
In the present stirring times much re-
sponsibility rests upon us and only by
united effort can we accomplish the most
good for ourselves and those who patron
lie us. The affiliation of any practitioner
with the Vermont society means that he
will be benefited by the new ideas taken
up before such meetings as these. Other
societies. to get the interest oe
all In the profession are adopting a
postgraduate course and various States
are holding union meetings. This plan
should receive favorable consideration
while we are in session. In conclusion l
appeal to all TO support the National Re-
seach committee and the Preparedness
League.
DENTAL UNIT TO BE ORGANIZED
The evening session was devoted to the
part which the dentists Of this State
should take in the preparation Of men
who desire to fight for their country. The
meeting was opened by a paper on THE
Dental Surgeon "a Military Service" read
by DR.. A. L. Pattee of Brattieboro The
discussion which followed resulted in the
members Of the society voting the APP
J pointment of a committee to organize a
dental unit in this state. W
DIR. Pattee in his paper suggested that
the Vermont dentists organize 4 dental
unit. In this orgs nzation he suggested
that a dental surgeon be appointed in each
town and city ia the State containing q
company of the Vermont regiment OF Ma
tional Guards to pursue special course
of study. to familiarize themselves with
the field equipment furnished by the Rec
Cross and that some plan be formulated
that If one of the surgeons Is called tC
actual service he may be relieved after q
definite time to return to his practice, the
| unit to be during the war reserve den
organize itself to take care Of the enlisted
! soldiers Of the State in the way which
seems best for the good Of the profession
State and government.
This suggestion by DR.. Pattee wal
thoroughly discussed by the members o.
tho society who were present The mem
bers Of the Vermont society have dur
ing the period Of recruiting for the pres
: ent war. freely given Of their time. mate
rial and services. having worked on thu
teeth of the members Of the State militi;
free OF charge and also of mon who de
sired to enter the navy. 1t was the opin
=. ion of some in the meeting last eveninl
: that this service was all out Of proportion
with that being given by other profes
sional men; that while the dentists wer
willing to assist those from this Stat
. who could not enter the fighting forces O
the United States because Of poor teeth, !
Is not necessary to continue to give sue
service gratis. Uncle Sam being willin
4 TO take care Of this as we'll as any othe
r part of a mans physique. II was gener
ally conceded that a great amount Of wor
was needed on teeth Of those applying t
: be admitted In the army. but It would ar
pear that these defects should be per
fected at the expense OF the government
Major Wallace Dewitt. surgeon q
|
Ethan Allen. was called upon to te
u of the requirements OF the army in re
: lation to the teeth of the men who ar
J. seeking to enter. Major DeWitt spok
of the neglect Of dental hygiene whic
. the examining officers at Fort Etha
. Allen had found in the mouths OF
- large percentage OF tho men who ar
: piled for enlistment ~ These men, h
" stated, were not the scum OF manhood
= but were OF good physique. clean In a
" other respects. but with teeth In hol
o ribIe condition, The government RI
e quirements are simple, that the gum
y must be in = healthy condition wit
!. two opposing molars on each side an
g sufficient other teeth to properly maj
y tioate the food. A. regards the nun
y Der OF good teeth necessary to the prof.
y or mastication OF food. this judgmsF
h left entirely to the examining OH
y der. There 10 at present one dents
u surgeon to every 1000 men In the ssr'
" ice. These men. because OF the EreI
10 amount of work which falls to ther
10 cannot possibly take care OF the me
IL most Of their work being emergens
=, cases.
" Following about an hours discussit
., DR.. Pattee moved that committee
10 Ave be appointed by the president
- organize Q dental unit in the State
y Vermont and to formulate a code
10 ethics to be followed by those In Il
y" profession regarding those DENTS
~ who would be called as officers OF tn
y unit The motion was adopted,
|