The Coconino sun., 1919-08-01
STATE DENTAL BOARD
 IS UP FOR AN AIRING


 With the announcement by the sec retary of state of the names of fif- teen applicants for state dental li- censes who succeeded in passing the recent examinations, a howl of dis pleasure has been set up by friends Of the eleven dentists who were re- fused the right to practice in this state, and charges of discrimination and unfairness have been pouring in from all sides on Governor Campbell. The fact that fourteen out of fifteen who passed were Arizona boys is the basis of the charge that the dental board is up to it's old tricks of lim- iting the number of practitioners, thereby corralling the business by the well-known trust methods for the few men already in business. And this, despite the fact that new board was recently appointed by Governor Campbell, ostensibly for the purpose of removing criticism of irregular methods alleged to have been followed | in the past.
 Most of the men who passed the recent examinations are said to be fresh from dental colleges, while very many of those who were turned down are men who hold licenses to practice in other states, and have been practic- ing for as long as twenty years. Eff forts are now being made to have these applicants given temporary li- censes to practice until given an op- portunity to take the next examna- tion, or to have the examination papers reviewed to determine if they were properly graded.
 Claim Tests Were Illegal
 In support of the contention that there should be another examination some go so far as to say that the recent tests were illegal, in that they were conducted by members of the old board and not the members of the new board recently appointed by Gov ernor Campbell. That this charge is correct seems to be borne out by the 1 fact that the results of the examina- tion were forwarded to the secretary of state by w. P. Sims, secretary of the old board. Governor Campbell expressed surprise that the members of the old board had anything to do with the grading of the papers, eX- cept in so far as they might have assisted the new members in the con duct of the examination.
 1 Some of those who failed to come up to the requirements of the board state that the questions for the theory tests were taken largely from an an tiquated authority which is the laugh ing stock of modern schools of dental surgery.
 Diplomas Questioned
 The diplomas of some of the ap- plicants were questioned and in one particular instance the statement was made by one of the examiners, it is charged, that said diploma could be bought for 25 cents and was not rec ognized here. The institution in ques- ton is said to be rated as one of the sixteen Class-A dental colleges of the country by the war department, which supervised the training of dental sur geons there who were to be sent to l France. Many other minor irregularities in the conduct of the examination are charged by some of the disappointed applicants. The whole situation is in line with facts and figures presented during the last legislature when Rep resentative Little and Senator Elliott, from Greenlee county, sought to have enacted bill which would let down the bars to outside dentists. Cover nor Campbell declined to sign the bill on the grounds that it would create chaotic conditions, and sought to right the situation through the appointment 1 of a new board.