Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13
DENTAL HYGIENE
GAINS IN PRESTIGE
Miss Lillian Cain Supervisor
of School in Third Year
at 6. u.

with the licensing of dental hygi-
EXISTS in many States and the recogni-
ton of the practice and teaching OF
mouth hygiene as a profession by prac-
tically all State legislatures since the
World War, there has opened new,
,,ncrowded and dignified profession for
young women without the necessary
four years Of preliminary ground, as IN
the case of graduate nurses.
Since medical science has discovered
that practically 90 per cent OF the
diseases of the human body enter
through the mouth, the value OF sclen-
tific training in dental hygiene as
public health measure has been en-
HANGED to such an extent that now the
training has emerged under the tute-
slage of the medical-dental profession
as q new and responsible career for
Young women Back in 1906 there was
sonly one practicing dental hygienist In
the United States. Now, there are
1880 registered hygieniSts in the 26
States which recognize the profession
as one requiring a license to practice.
: The District of Columbia Dental
.Hvgienist Association, founded in 1924,
with nine members, has experienced
wholesome growth and influence IN
dental and medical circles. There are
now "a registered hygianists in the
District, including one man.
First Dental Hygienist.
The first dental hygienist in the
country studied under DR.. Alfred Z.
Fomes, who founded a school later in
Bridgeport, Conn. from which the first
class in hygiene was graduated. Ihese
young women rendered valuable service
at the concentration camps during the
war
DR.. Fomes' pioneer work at Bridge
port was recognized by the school board
(which co-operated with him. AS re-
suit, the Bridgeport schools remained
open during the entire great influenza
epidemic during the war and Bridgeport
had the smallest percentage Of influenza
cases Of any city in the country.
The Forsyth-Tlfts Dental College, In
Boston, was the next to take up training
in dental hygiene. after DR.. FomeS
school unfortunately was discontinued.
Within recent years the profession has
grown until now there are II recognized
schools OF dental hygiene, including the
one at Georgetown University in this
city.
This comparatively young and UNI
crowded profession opens wide field OF
useful opportunity to women and girls
with the necessary educational require
ments.
The public schools in the District
fully recognize the value and need OF
trained hygienists to guard the health
of pupils and instruct them and their
parents in the proper care of the mouth.
This is one of the phases of the prac-
tice which offers special inducements to
graduates, since there are openings for
hygienists in all thoroughly modern
public and private institutions.
= The importance of dental hygiene as
q general health measure makes its
practice one of genuine service to hu-
manity as we'll as remunerattve and
pleasant vocation. All people are in
need Of such services at frequent times
and the services of trained hygienists
are becoming more and more required
by dentists in private practice. Broadly
speaking, the practice falls into two dis
tinct types. the teaching of mouth
hygiene in schools and in public health
work. and the prophylactic treatment OF
the mouths of patients in private prac-
tice, in hospitals or private institutions
under the personal supervision OF
licensed dentist.
Opportunities Greatest Now.
hygiene were never so great as now
With the supply of typists and steno-
graphers already exceeding the demand,
the year of training necessary for grad
uation from a school of dental hygiene
provides an opportunity to many high
school girls who are casting about Tor
occupations.
The course in dental hygiene at the
Georgetown University School OF Den
iS
and is now entering upon its third year.
A number of high school graduates al
ready have registered tor the one-year
course which begins on September y.
A few special students are being ac-
cepted, but these cannot qualify for
certificate OF graduation.
: The Georgetown school started the
course first as an experiment and last
year established 1t on firm basis
Miss Lillian Cain, a graduate OF the
Forsyth Tufts College and a practicing
hygienist of wide experience, was en-
gagged as supervisor. The course in
dental hygiene now has % professors,
all of them connected with the George
town Dental School, and professionally
qualified in their own special fields.
Practical work in prophylactic treat
ment and dental first aid are given Ia:
the schools new laboratory. which is the
largest and finest equipped in Wash
angton.
! Miss Cain has just returned from
attending the Summer course at the
State Teachers College, Buffalo, N. Y
where she took up mental and applied
hygiene, public speaking and other
wise gained experience in the advanced
stages of the profession.
The dental hygiene course at George
town, with the exception of hospital
training, is the only department open
to young women.