Page 30 - My FlipBook

X. INTRODUCTION.
totally exclude the possibility of acquring the public confix
dence for the profession, is as little matter of astonishment.
Yet notwithstanding all this, it is our candid conviction
that near one half of the diseases of the teeth may be prer
vented by early care and proper management ; and the
greater share of those that are attacked by disease, may be
effectually and permanently remedied by judicious and faith-
ful operations : and quite certain it is, that the diseases of
the gums and sockets, by which so many sound, well ar-
ranged and beautiful teeth are lost, may be prevented,
when they do not arise from constitutional derangement,
which is seldom the case.
But, in order to secure the above favorable results to com.
munily, it is imperiously necessary that the " augean stable"
of this profession should be " cleaned ;" the profession should
be as much protected and fostered, as those of medicine
and surgery. Every man, before being permitted to prac-
tice it, should serve a requisite term of pupilage, and pass
an examination before a competent board of surgeon
dentists.
One thing is certain, this profession must either rise or
sink. If means are not taken to suppress and discounter
nance the mal-practices of the multitude of incompetent per.
sons, who are pressing into it, merely for the sake of its
emoluments, it must sink ;—for the few conpetent and well
educated men, who are now upholding it, will abandon a
disreputable profession, in a country of enterprise like ours,
and turn their attention to some other cajjing more conge-
nial to the feelings of honorable and enlightened men.
We are happy however, in believing that a great change
for the better will, in a few years, take place : for experience
is the best tutor, though often a hard one, for it generally
brings with it, a corrective.