Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery - Dental Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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MAURICE J. HICKEY, D.M.D, M.D. Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine for Dental and Oral Surgery; Executive Officer, Department of Dentistry; Professor of Oral Surgery

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i 00 W GRAYSON KIRK, Ph.D., LL.D. President of the University •H I ' ' 1 r • » WILLARD COLE RAPPLEYE, M.D., A.M., Sc.D., Med. Sc.E Vice-President in Charge of Medical Affairs; Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

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A LESTER W. BURKET, D.D.S., M.D., Dean School of Dentistry, University of Pennsylvania The rapid strides made by Dentistry in research, prevention and a more comprehensive health service during the last decades have had a marked influence on the objectives of dental education. As dentistry has approached professional maturity, its representa- tives are being called upon to assume increased par- ticipation in the affairs of the community. It is the responsibility of the dental educators to graduate den- tists competent in the skills peculiar to the profession and who can understand, appreciate and take part in a changing social order. Dental educational institutions have been rea- sonably successful in affording their graduates an understanding and a proficiency in the skills of their profession. Other less tangible but important facets of professional education such as the health service aspects of dentistry, the necessity for continued edu- cation after graduation and the dentist ' s community responsibilities, deserve more emphasis. The success- ful practitioner must be not only professionally com- petent, but also a socially mature and aware indi- vidual. The professional preparation of the dental student should include a good cultural and social background. The predental student frequently does not appreciate the importance of this type of background for a suc- cessful practice of dentistry. Dental educators might well consider the desirability of professionally ori- ented courses in psychology, psychiatry and human behavior. It is likely that during your professional career there will be many changes from the present day methods of practice. These changes should be judged in terms of better dental services to a wider segment of the population. The increased use of auxiliary per- sonnel is inevitable and it is not unlikely that such personnel will perform in the mouth under the den- tist ' s strict supervision, specified technical procedures not requiring a detailed knowledge of the biologic sciences. It is also likely that the group practice of dentistry will assume greater importance as an ef- ficient method of rendering dental health services, especially in view of the current trend to specializa- tion. The furnishing of dental services must con- tinually adjust itself to changing social and economic conditions. The great accomplishments in Dentistry during the past hundred-odd years are a tribute to the vision and endeavors of the professional leaders of the past. Today ' s graduates have received a cultural and sci- entific background which should enable them to make notable contributions to the continued develop- ment of your profession. The future of dentistry will be determined by what you build upon the founda- tion of your formal professional education. Dr. Lester W. Burket