Page 10 - My FlipBook

Most of the old subjects have been threshed and winnowed until
hardly a grain is left, and the relatively new ones of Histology,
Microscopy, Bacteriology, Pyorrhoea Alveolaris, I'oot-filling, and im-
plantation, comprise a bill of fare of which you are invited to partake
at alil^ost each of your daily meals ; and, as variety is said to be both
spicy and wholesome, I have selected "The yEsthetic Demands of
Dental Science" as the base of comment on the present occasion.
Of course, I pi'emise and assume that the first and highest office and
prerogative of dental science and practice is the hygienic protection
and preservation of the dental organism from disease and decay ; its
second, such operative and remedial assistance as will repair the lesions
and damage of accident or disease, and to restore the teeth as nearly as
practicable to their pristine shapes, their original symmetry and beauty
of outline, and to comfortable and effective usefulness ; the construc-
tion of appliances for irregularities and congenital aberrations, and such
surgery as may be demanded by accident or diseased condition of the
mouth and its appendages ; and lastly, the supply of artificial substi-
tutes for partial or entire dentures.
The animus and idea of this address is not only to improve in some
degree our methods and material, but to add to our resources, and, as
far as practicable, to divest and relieve our operations of the disgust and
dread with which they are usually contemplated, and enable us to
achieve results, not only of comfort and utility, but of symmetry and
beauty, that will reflect credit and honor upon our calling, be a joy to
ourselves and a benefaction to humanity.
The relation of the dentist to his clients (who, as a rule, comprise
the most cultured and refined of human society) demands that he should
be a gentleman, in all that the term or designation implies; his apparel,
while not " loud or dudish," should be fashionable, well-fitting and
scrupulously and faultlessly clean ; his hands and his nails should be
the special objects of his care and attention, as few things are more re-
pulsive, and justly offensive, than the introduction of soiled fingers or
foul and clouded nails in a human mouth. This may appear out of
place in an address to the " Academy of Science " but I grieve to say
;
that illustrations of carelessness in this particular have distinguished
some of bur best operators, and made them the subjects of harsh criti-
cism and revolting comment, and reflected discredit and odium upon
modern dentistry.