The Dentist’s Responsibilities

Abstract

Dentistry is a small profession, comparatively speaking, and therefore cannot contend with much larger organizations and agencies in all types of affairs. However, dentistry can overcome this handicap by displaying an unusual solidarity. This can be accomplished by the united efforts of the dentist, dentist’s family, dental schools, the dental assistant, the dental hygienist, the dental technician, the dental tradesman, and the public health dentists in striving for better dental health for our citizens. A virile, dynamic and united dental profession faithfully devoting itself to self-examination and self-correction is one of the first and foremost safeguards against the threat of socialized dentistry. It is for you and me to put our shoulders to the wheel, to do our part to promote health and understanding. Let us emblazon on our hearts and minds this thought— that ethical dentistry cannot and must not become a refugee from its responsibilities to the public whose health and welfare we are pledged to protect. If we will constantly keep this in mind, we will earn a large entry on the credit side in the ledger of public opinion. In our public and professional relations I believe we should always remember the Golden Rule. If we follow the Golden Rule and do what we know in our hearts is right to do, we cannot go far wrong. Let us dedicate ourselves to the idea that dentists with broad and humane vision are more necessary to the future of our great profession than are those with the materialistic philosophy advocated by purely commercial interests. Let us be more vitally concerned with the problem of how to live than how to make a living, with how to be something as well as how to do something. Let us organize our lives for happiness. Let us build assurance through mutual confidence. Let us exemplify the old-fashioned virtues—honesty, loyalty, trust, self-discipline, hard work and plenty of it. Let us judge people with a pure heart and an open mind, brushing aside all that is irrelevant. Let us also remember that life is like a ladder: with each step, we go up or we go down. Let us keep our steps upward, let us keep our hearts and minds looking upward and above all, let us aspire to greater things. Finally, in assuming our responsibilities as dentists, whatever we do, let us not hitch the dental profession to the antiquated, oft-brokendown, deceptively decorated bandwagon of state socialism and commercialism and expect progress in dental care. Rather, let us mount the shimmering rocket of scientific research, soaring in service with a substantial increase in highly trained dental personnel, and protect our people against the invasion of dental disability by educating them to the value of scientific preventive dental care and secure their timely, ready acceptance of such service.