Evening star., 1937-02-07
DENTAL DIAGNOSIS
IS TOPIC AT CLINIC
First Annual Meeting of
Alumni Group Is Held
at Georgetown.

Responsibility for the prevention Of
most of the common tooth troubles
that inflict the human race was placed
squarely on the general practitioner
by prominent authorities in analyzing
scientific methods of diagnosis and
preventive dentistry at Georgetown
Universitys first annual alumni dental
clinic.
Nearly all the cases Of pyorrhea,
causing 65 per cent Of the loss Of
teeth, could have been avoided II prac-
titioners had recognized the tendency
at the beginning and corrected it, DR..
Ralph B. Snapp Of Winchester, Va,
told 500 dentists from all parts Of the
East, who attended the sessions
The practitioner. who is first to see
the patients mouth, too often fails in
his duty to make proper diagnosis.
said DR.. Snapp. past president of the
Virginia State Dental Association and
o recognized authority on diseases Of
the mouth.
The use Of the X-ray has become
the chief factor in diagnosis and pre-
Nentive dentistry" DR.. Michael L. Null
laney, chief of the Rhode Island Hos
pital dental staff, declared. IF gen.
eral practitioners would Conscientious
~ recommend periodical X-ray exam
inations to their patients there would
be much less tooth trouble in the
world" he said.
X-Ray Technique Discussed.
. Awarded the degree Of D. Sc. by
Georgetown in 1929 for his work in
the field, Dr. Mullaney, who comes
from Providence, delivered paper on
"X-Ray Technique and Diagnosis In
Dentistry"
by periodical examinations" he
said, "90 per cent Of tooth decay and
bone disease could be eliminated"
If a yearly check were made from
childhood. he said. there would be
mo extensive cyst formations or de-
struction, which cause the patient ma
jor operations and loss Of time"
In his technical analysis Of the
technique, DR.. Mullaney stressed the
necessity for photographically perfect
and anatomically detailed X-ray pic
: lures, making due allowance for pecu-
liar anatomical deviations OF the indi-
vidual patient.
Results from the X-ray," he re-
minded, will be no better than the
technique OF the operator and certain
~ no better than the discernment of
the d!agnostician."
Contributing CauSeS Cited.
The playful boy friend" the auto
mobile and the habit Of drinking not
wisely, but too we'll" are the most
frequent contributing causes of frac-
tured lower jaw bones, in the opinion
Of DR.. George I. Connolly, chief oral
dental surgeon of the Carney Hos
pital, Boston.
Men are more apt to sustain frac-
lures Of the mandible than women,
he said, and they occur most fire.
quently between the ages Of 20 and
% years.
DR.. H. r. Churchill, professor Of
histology and comparative odontology
at the University Of Pennsylvania
School Of Dentistry, read paper
devoted to treatment OF Inflammation
Of tissues. DR.. G. ]. Schweikhardt
Of Newark, N. j., discussed in an
other paper the preparations for i'm
mediate denture service.
University officials, including Very
Rev. Arthur A. O'Leary. S. j.. presi-
dent of Georgetown University, and
DR.. Joseph F. Manley. president Of
the District Of Columbia Alumni Chap
ter, welcomed the attending dentists
at luncheon meeting. There were
addresses also by Rev. David v. Nc
Cauley, s. j., regent Of Dental School,
and DR.. William N. Cogan. the dean
They all stressed the point that
the first clinic of its kind held at
the school would be made an annual
affair. Some Of the alumni came
from as far West as Minnesota and
Wisconsin.
DR.. O'Leary referred to the ses-
sion as q practical demonstration"
Of what the alumni can do in show
ing their appreciation Of the uni