Evening star., 1942-12-10
Alaskan Dentist Busy
As Many Hours Daily
As He Can Stay Awake
Nome Practitioner Is ONLY
One Between Fairbanks
And North Pole
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NOME, Alaska Dec 10.-When
he arrives at his Office in the morn
ing, he has to delay going to work
until the man sleeping between the
dental chair and the instrument
cabinet removes his cot and puts on
his clothes.
And when DR.. Myron Kennedy
has filled the last tooth in his work
ing day, he often passes in the hotel
lobby a sleepy stranger who is wait
ing to go to bed in his office.
This is just normal in the 16 or
II hour day of the blond, youthful
native of Galesburg, ILL.,, who is the
lone representative of the dental
profession between Fairbanks-560
air miles away-and the North Pole.
Still In his early twenties and a
1910 graduate of the dental college
at Northwestern University, DR..
Kennedy has been in Nome little
more than a year-and its practice
has practically no resemblance to
that of the dentists he used to know
in Galesburg.
For one thing, he has made more
money-the exact amount is his
own business, but the round figure
Is easy to judge as somewhat about
the $25,000 limitation now affecting
continental United States salaries.
Began Work Before Unpacking.
He began working the dav he
arrived in Nome. He had lust time
to select an office in the Wallace
Hotel. only brick-faced structure in
this town of tar paper, sheet iron
and scrap metal. Then the first
patient, with dental work overdue
Tor months, sat down in his chair.
1t was months before DR.. Kennedy
had time to complete unpacking the
equipment he had brought from the
States.
His working day is limited only
by his own ability to stay awake.
Making appointments, he strikes
nice balance between considera-
ton for War Worker Jones. who has
bad toothache but lives in Nome,
and Trader Smith, whose teeth
may not be in such bad shape but
who has come by dog team, airplane
or on foot perhaps 300 miles down
out of the fabulous country along
the Arctic shore. Home addresses
such as Tigara, Kotzebue, Noorvik
and ShlShmaref dot his account
books; parkas of Arctic squirrel or
seal pup load the hat rack in his
waiting room.
AS with many people in the not
too-attractive city of Nome, DR..
Kennedy arrived here by accident.
A plea for a dentist was sent by
Nome people to the Northwestern
Dental School, A combination of
elimination by preference and draw
ing lots finally sent DR.. Kennedy
with the schools blessings. His
qualifications included an interest in
oral surgery, lack of family ties and
draft exemption.
His difficulties have been several
in addition to the overpowering
amount of dental work waiting to be
done. Equipment must, most of the
year, be flown to him Dental as
sistants are not available-not in
town where mattresses earn $50
weekly salaries plus generous tips.
Neither is professional advice.
Willy-nilly, DR.. Kennedy must solve
dental problems as they arise. If
the particular case was not covered
by his undergraduate education, he
has to figure it out himself.
Works on Week End Trips.
Vacations are almost as hard to
get. Even week ends are impos-
sible. Taking an airplane trip to
nearby Moses Point one week end
not long ago, he was recognized as
the plane landed. and the local resi-
dents would not hear of his return
ing to Nome until he had pulled a
half dozen aching teeth with a pair
of forcepS which were the only
dental tools Moses Point boasted
Similar experiences have followed
him on dozen trips.
However, dentistry in Nome does
have its points. DR.. Kennedy has