The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-12
Noisy Dentists
BY EDWIN J. BROWN

had turmoil In the dental profess
sion In this state. II rs occasione1
by burdensome. oppressive law. DR..
NJ. ID. Thurrton. who was president
OF the Dental Board in 1909. said,
'-rhe dental law OF this state u
not intended 70 protect the public
sgainst incompetent dentists but
rather 70 protect dentists already
here against competition. by keep
ing other dentists out Of this state
] arrived in Seattle February -,
1901. and was undecided whether
should engage In the practices u
law or dentistry as a permanent
vocation My needs were many and
resources few. Life seemed short
and the art~iong. but the occasion
was instant while the pcrils Of n
perfmenting made decision difficult
until opportunity offered me what
seemed n good prospect tn Dentistry.
My close application and fulleB1
energy given to my practice
brought a fair measure OF sucosna
The State Dental Society useun-
bers began 10 look upon the moyD
successful dental practitioners with
envy. Under the law OF 1894, regu-
lating the practice OF dentistry. one
wishing TO learn dentistry could
study for ten years under . pge-
ceptor who was licensed dentist
and then be eligible to take he
examination for a license 70 prno
tice. Also the subjects for the d.
tai examination were prcscribed b.
the law Of 1893; the Dental Board
was thereby restrained from The ex-
erctse Of arbitrary and caprci0us
action Qualified Eastern danftsfs
were coming here and were o6jsc-
tionable to the native sons ana
those who looked upon this state
a. their private dental preserves.
In 1901. the dentists who needed
special protection against compGtk
ton sought and secured Q Dental
law from the Legislature that would
keep dentists out OF this state, and
also prevent the study Of dent1stxy
In the State ~ Washington Word
was passed around that the Ehstaru
dentists would not DO alloWsd -
secure q license In this state unAef
prescribed their own examinatkon
IA legislative function) and coull
therefore substitute and exerukso
their arbitrary win tn deteruining
what the law was to be instead u
exercising . lawful discretion In Cd
ministering law enacted by ne
legislative body. The only pnpOo
OF a dental or medical law = T.
prescribe q qualification STANDARD
for dentists or physicians SO q -
protect the public Our dental NV
within OF the Dental Board sur
gests.
Having secured arbitrary puwuP
in 1901. as above stated. ana man
shaded all their forces together. he
dental society assembled at tn olA
Washington hotel In 1903. where
much noise was made. A hwyeP
WAS imported and transported from
Spokane who made a marvellous
and powerful address at the feast
which was given for the dental %.
cicty legions that marched forth
in battle array under the guidance
OF the Spokane lawyer-general q
Hebrew Napoleon sort of fellow,
who exhorted and hanngued the
dental society that the work AZ
Kidding this state OF an ouack
dentists would be a work Of love
and duty whereupon much noise
and clinking of glasses was heard.
as the prohibition law was not yet
n M -
of open shop dentists was now well
on its way.
All dentists were to pay $500
per month tsometimesD to promuL
gate the work OF love and duty.
and the legal Goliath at the head
of the Dental Philistines marched
forth. The conclusions reached and
plans laid were to destroy and
drive from the state one Il. J.
Brown. from old Missouri. first.
and deal with the less able after.
wards.
had complied With both me
spirit and the letter Of the law
as amended in 1eo.. the first aim
OF which was TO keep dentists out
OF this state. but which provided
that all dentists who were bona
fide residents and pmcticing in this
state at the time OF the passage
Of the act should register their
names with the Dental Board and
receive their license to practice den-
tistry. The aim of this provision
was TO protect those who were
studying under preceptors and 9TH
ers then practicing, so as to corral
all dentists who were inside the
state and put up the bars against
all who were outside the state.
The Dental Board refused to H.
sue the state license as provided
by law and were upheld by our
supreme court. I then. In May,
1908, went before the state Dental
Board and took the examination
at Spokane.
shall tell about my two dental
in my article next
A few weeks ago there were some
and spice around my
pffics trying TO get evidence against
some OF my assistants. The pur.
pose of these articles Is to advise
The public on the methods resorted
to by some smallfry dentists who
are making a noise and boasting
about running dentists out OF our
state. EDWIN }. BROWN,