November, 1946 - 24.

G U E S T E D I T O R I A L S

William Re Davis - WUT CAY BE DONE ASOUT IT?

A problem has b e n posed by the f a c t t h a t several leaders i n public health den t i s t ry have been leaving that f ie ld . Yhat oen be dctne about, it?

O f course a dental health worker may f i n d tha t he does not l i ke the work as w e l l as he thought he would. He may f ind t h a t it does not f i t h i s natural aptitudes. He may become disaouraged by the s i ze of the problem and the meagerness of the funds available t o a t taok it. However, we surmise t h a t over and above a l l the other reasons are the salaries paid and the lack of sew ourit jr . Private practioe has been espec ia l ly a l lu r ing during the past few years, pme- ent are b e t t e r paid and o f f e r greater securi ty ,

and sa la r ied posit ions avai lable i n some other dental f i e l d s a%

I n many of the s t a t e departmsnts of heal th , dental o f f ioers are not paid a sa l a ry equal t o medical o f f i o e r s when the posi t ions a re on a par and the baokground of t ra in ing and respons ib i l i ty required are equal& Then, too, s a l a r i e s i n some s t a t e s f o r a l l heal th off ioers a re very much lawer than a re those f o r s imi la r posit ions outside heal th departments, Also, i n some s t a t e s there is no cer ta in ty of tenure o r s ecu r i ty f o r retirement. Some improvement has been made i n recent years, but there is s t i l l much t o be desired i n a number of states.

This i s a place where in f luen t i a l leaders i n the denCok prafessean can render valuable assistanoe. The d e s i r a b i l i t y of extending dental heal th t o more people i s engaging the a t t en t ion o f the profession today as never before. The problems involved are being studied, and disoussed from almost every angle, Haw t o seoure more competent and wel l t r a ined dental heal th workers i s cer ta in ly one of these problems, f o r such workers a re of paramount importance i n the developmnt of plans and programs f o r the extension of den- t a l healthr Leaders i n t h e dentEtl profession should do everything they can t o bring the t rue s i t ua t ion t o the a t t en t ion of the proper agencies in behalf of reasonable remuneration and secur i ty f o r publio heal th dental personnel,

analyzed,

A NOTE OF APPRECIATION

* In closing t h i s series of guest e d i t o r i a l s I went t o bear witness t o tho a b i l i t y and devotion which Mrs. Netta Wilson, tho associate edi tor , has given t o make this publication s o in t e re s t ing and useful. She has kept i n the background, but we a l l owe her most hearty appreoiation.

November, 1946 26*

E D 1 T O R I A L S

MA8 SONG OF A UU.E DUCK

@I MPa@ prewlcdbsd f o r sorviccs t h a t have beon rendered with a g r e a t dea l

b@2;h verbal and t ang ib le expressions of appreci- a t i o n o f p1eash-e and p r o f i t ( tho l a t t e r of tho i n t e l l e c t u a l , not tho financial, v a r i e t y ) your assoc ia to e d i t o r r i s e s t o t ake a bow. I t has been a p leasure t o work w i t h you, gentlomon. You have been u n f a i l i n g l y courteous and considerate . By your sympathetic he lp a t a l l times you have smoothed w h a t might otherwiso have boen a rough road f o r a "lam duck" t o t r a v e l ,

Although re l inquish ing r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r f u t u r e BULLGTINS, t h e associr a t o e d i t o r abandons none of her i n t e r e s t i n the program of publ io health den- t i s t r y . Any help sho can over give i n promoting that program w i l l be given most w i l l i n g l y and gladly. Thank you, gentlomen, bo th f o r your kind words and f o r your handsomc gift--and t h e b e s t o f everything t o a l l of y o d

-Netta W, Wilson