Evening star., 1951-10-18
Dentists End ConcIave
Today After EIeciing
President for 1853
By Wallace E. cIoyton

American Dental ASSOCIATION was
scheduled to end today. after the
$4,000, dentists attending select a
president-elect, and the associa-
tion's House of Delegates names
q 1854 convention city.
Opposing each other for the job
as president of the group for a
years term ending in 1853 are DR..
Chester Dalgleish of Salt Lack
City. Utah. and DR.. Otto Brand
horst of st. Louis.
DR.. Leroy M. Ennis of Phila-
delphia will succeed DR.. Harold
w. Oppice as president for the
coming year. Installation of DR..
Ennis will be the last order of
business before the House of Dele
gates adjourns late this afternoon.
The association will meet in ST..
Louis next year. and in Cleve-
land in 1858.
Indications were that few, if
any. controversial issues. would
come before the 353-member
House of Delegates at the final
session. Observers said the four
day meeting of the associations
policy-making body was one of the
quietest in recent years.
Controversial Item Tabled.
The delegates yesterday unani-
mously voted to table for another
year the only proposal that prom
1sed to create such controversy.
This was a suggestion that the
association go on record as favor
ing inclusion of dentists in the
social security old-age and sur
vivors' insurance program. Res
olutions to that effect had been
made by the Hawaii Territorial
Dental Society and the Massachu-
sets State Dental Society.
DR.. Oppice, in his opening re-
port to the delegates Monday, in
dicated disapproval of the meas
ure, pointing out such a policy
would be philosophically incon-
sistent with the dentists bitter op-
position to COMPULSORY health in
surance.
However. it was learned, an in
formal mail ballot of the 10000
member dentists revealed the
membership is about equally di-
vided on the question.
DR.. Oppice was honored last
night at a banquet and dance in
the Hotel Statler, conference
headquarters and site Of the House
OF Delegates sessions.
Hear Scientific Program.
While the delegates were meet
ing yesterday, most of the visiting
dentists crowded into the Ma
tional Guard Armory for another
day-long scientific program.
DR.. Arthur F. Schopper, a spe-
eial lecturer at the Kansas City
School of Dentistry, told the
dentists the harmful. unconscious
grinding of teeth during sleep
could be stopped through use Of
variation of the Hawley retainer.
The retainer. developed by al
former Washington dentist for use
In orthodontics, is a plastic shield,
which fits over the palate and
holds in correct position teeth
are being Strengthened.
Now, DR.. Schopper said, shield
has been added that fits over the
teeth. When the sleeper un-
consciously grinds his teeth. the
teeth slip on the shield. The sub
conscious mind is dissatisfied with
the slipping sensation, and the
habit soon is broken.
Common Habit.
The lecturer said grinding chips
and loosens teeth. Most people
grind their teeth to some extent,
he said.
In another discussion on a sim
liar subject, DR.. John S. Mckenzie
of Miami. Fla, said bad mouth
habits such as grinding, clenching
or rocking" the teeth causes
damage TO the gums and other |
mouth tissues as we'll as to the
teeth themselves. The actions
cause considerable erosion and
sensitiveness of the gums.
ut is difficult for dentists to
correct these bad habits because
patients aren't aware they have
them," DR.. Mckenzie said.
Among SO vicious mouth habits
listed by Dr. Mckenzie are lip
biting, toothpick- biting, flngernail |
biting, biting on eyeglasses, hair
pins, pencils or straws and thumb
sucking. ~.-
Food Affects Character.
He also mentioned pipe smoking,
chewing of cigars. clenching a
cigarette holder or cracking nuts
with the teeth.
DR.. Russell w. Tench of York,
Pa, said the trouble some elderly
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