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PAGE 6, WHITBY FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, MARCII 15, 1973 THE GOVERNIENT WAS RIONT ON DENTURISTS BY DR. MORTON SHULMAN Muriel Abram is 68 years old, is ill and lives in one rooni on a small pension. For over a year she bas needed false teeth but because of her limited resources she had put off visiting her dentist. Last JuIy Mrs. Abram was delighted to find a card thrown in her door advertising the City Denture Clinic which was described on the card as. "A Member of the Dentistry Society of Ontario" (sic). Mrs. Abram went to the clinic where she wac examined by the owner who turned out to be a denturist and who offered to make a set of teeth for her for $160 and guaranteed they would fit, On July 13 she received her teeth but to her dismay not only did they not fit well, she could not eat with themn and could not even keep them in her mouth. Mrs. Abram returned to the denturist who said that she would need a second set of teeth and after she paid him an addition $40 he made these. Unfortunately once again the teeth were useless. Mrs. Abram was very upset but now found that the denturist did not return her phone cails. (He told me that he neyer received her messages.) Finally in despair she arrived at my medical office and I referred her to the free dental clinic at the medical out-patient's department at the New Mt. Sinai Hospital. There it was discovered that the reason that neither of the sets of teeth had fit was that Mrs. Abram was suffering from a condition in which her gums had broken down so that no false teeth could properly be fitted by anyone, be he denturist or dentist. Mrs. Abram requires an operation on the gums to rectify the medical condition following which she will be fitted for false teeth. This is being done free of charge by the staff of doctors at the hospital. Last week 1 visited the heads of the Den- turists' Society at their Royal York Hotel Convention and 1 asked for their comments on this case. They responded that if, in fact, an error had been made the whole Denturist Society should not be condemned because of one mistake, and they pointed out that doctors and dentists are also not immune from error. They gave me a copy of their by-laws, one of which states: "No member shaîl carry out any procedure associated with the practice of dental prostheties on any person who has or is suspected, by the member, of having any disease or abnormality of the oral cavity where sueh procedure might reasonably be expected to affect such disease or abnormality." What bothers me is that even if the denturists follow this rule explicitly, 1 arn not convinced that they are competent Lo recognize ahl the diseases that can affect the mouth. 1 cannot be critical of the denturist for not recognizing Mrs. Abram's problem. After all, he has received neither medical nor dental training. 1 arn critical, however, of a system in which the well-off get the Grade A care that dentists provide, while the less well-off are misled into going to denturists in the belief thist they are* getting the same for less money. Urfortunately they are not getting the same quality of care, and I have corne to the cen- clusion that we in the Opposition were wrong in opposing Dr. Potter's change of heart and his legislation which requires denturists to operate only under a dentist's supervision. IL has become popular among the Opposition parties and the press to support the denturists in the mistaken belief that the dentists are selfish and are just out to make a buck. My own personal experience as a physician bas proven to me that this is untrue. If so many people cannot afford proper dental care the answer is to provide more dental clinics or a prepaid scherrie - but not to send patients to lesser trained personnel who will do the best they can but who just are not sufficiently competent. In my opinion this is one timne that the 'Con- servative government and the dentists are right and where the popular view is un- fortunately the incorrect one. It is just as though a nurses' group started to treat influenza and advertised to the publie office visits at haîf the doctors' price. In many cases the patient would be treated successfully and would recover but every now and then, because of insufficient knowledge, a misdiagnosis would be made and the patient would get worse or die. The çovernment has been correct in its legisiation; now it's time to enforce it. 0 0. The above column was written by Dr. Morton Shulman and appeared in The Toronto Sun. It is reprinted here by the kind co-operation of the publisher. I IUGGýEST CLEARANCE EVER Philips Ail Canadimu Zenith ~IVN e 100%ly S@fld State casa *We do Utra i-ms *Soeu dey dslivsry *Sam»day suimi FALC4 426 Si oshaw, on T.V. imc@. St. S. 723-0011 DAY CAMP REUNION PLANNED BY WHITBY YMCA Memnories of the Whitby Y Day Camp will be revived on Friday, March 23rd when al the hundreds of Y Day Campers are invited Lo attend the Day Camp Re-Union. ONE FREE PASS TO FIGURMAGIC for free home demonstration of ELECTROLUX No oblîgation - Cali day or nmght PHONE 579-1738 a Hourly Bus/Train Service to Exhibition Station. e Free Parking at most GO Stations. e Children under 12 halt the aduit tare. For furfher bus and train information phone Metro Toronto 248-3112 Clarkson-Oakville 845-Ei694 Burtîngton-Ham:iltofl527-8187 Pickering-Ajax-Whitby-Oshawa 942-2000 *@'b Tk-àÀAAIN S /r Government of Ontario Transit Operated by CN and Gray Coach Uines STORE-Wl DE FURINITURE SALE CheFerfild- Site from ................ Continental Beds from ....................... Mattresses .................. 5 Pce. Dinette Suites from ...................... $149.00 -.$34«95 ..$19.95 UP .$39,95 5 Pce, Colonial Dinete ......... $129-95 Up ftP ro n Bedroomn Suites, atiBes SPECIASBks Beds, many more Savings. MOF FAT APPL tANCES CHARGEX - LAY-AWAY McKE-EN FU RNITURE 524 Simncoe St. S., Oshawa 725-5181 This will be held in the gym at Henry St. High School during the Friday of the school mid-term holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Former Day Campers are ail invited to bring their friends so Lhey too can enjoy the fun. Each camper should bring a lunch and running shôes. Cost per person will be fifty cents to cover expenses. Quite a number of former counsellors and CILT's are expected. This is the ime to begin Lo plan for those won- derful days at Day Camp this coming summer. This is a preview of the program. Elizabeth Moore will1 be the camp director for the re-union and will be assisted by memnbers of the Y program staff and camp leaders. It will be a big event! 1973 will be the sixth year of the Whitby Y Day Camp held in the delightful Heber Down Conservation Area. FR11 PIZ'ZA WITH THE PURCHASE 0F ONE LARGE PIZZA CORNER PIZZA OfNT4an 668-8807 WE DELI VER MNSUN.4- a. 668.808 204 BROC K STr. S. 1300 Dundas East 668-6828 prepared BOB CLANCY 178 Simcoe St Ne Oshawa Telephoms 725-0397 (Bus.) 723-7605 (Res.), Our off ice is oponyor round to mrve you.