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

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curity both in the world of nations and the health world. In one way or another, man wants security from the disastrous impact of unexpected health costs. Unless social security in health is provided by private initiative an attempt will be made through some form of govern- ment care. The dental profession must join with the other health professions in guiding and counseling so- ciety as how best to solve the social and economic aspects of the health problem. For these reasons the dentist must stay ahead in his and his patients ' education. The dentist of tomorrow must become a member of a health team which is dedicated to the service of the patient. As an important member of that team it will be necessary for us to acquaint ourselves with the problems of the physician, the nurse, public health officer, dental hygienist and assistant so that we will have a thorough knowledge of the responsibilities and problems of those who serve with us. Percy Phillips, past president of the American Dental Associa tion, stated that to fulfill its responsibility to society and to survive as a profession, dentistry must call on all its priceless ingredients: honesty, integrity, professional independence, maintenance of the high quality of dental service, continuing study, expansion of dental research, the clinical application of the findings of research, and observance of our code of ethics. CARL E. RODENBURG Editor in Chief

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CONTINUING EDUCATION IN DENTISTRY A profession has the dual responsibility of continuing to develop its own particular competence and, equally important, of adapting that competence to the needs of the people. You who will become the leaders in the dental profession tomorrow, must see that the profes- sion continues to meet, in the fullest, its technical, scien- tific and social responsibilities. As the responsibilities and demands increase, bear in mind that the people, through due process of law, have given the dental pro- fession a monopoly in the rendering of dental care and they can take it away when the profession fails to meet its responsibility. Section I of the Principle of Ethics states that the right of a dentist to professional status rests in the knowledge, skill, and experience with which he serves his patients and society. Every dentist has the obligation of keeping his knowledge and skill freshened by con- tinuing education through all of his professional life. . t . 6 t piacutioner will u t . and those that do feel that this litetatute could be greatly and markedly improved. To an increasing degree, the availability of continu- ing education for the dental graduate and the extent to which this is utilized will influence the quality of the dental practice of the futute. Education is not only knowledge or the accumulation of facts but, rather, it is the ability to translate the accumulated facts and knowledge into service and skill. Education is not learn- ing for learning ' s sake but it is the training of the mind to think, to reason, to explore and to educate oneself so that there will be created a well of knowledge from which to draw inspiration, technique of performance and production. Those that have been taught that one must think, read, and relentlessly pursue the quest of knowledge, and that knowledge is latgely useless if not applied in the course of time are fortunate men and women. Dentistry may be defined as a health science primarily concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the oral cavity and associated structures. One practices dentistry by virtue of the satisfactory com- pletion of required education, and thereupon the receipt of permission from the government to practice. With the assumption of this responsibility and privilege go in- escapable duties — the dentist ' s duty to the public, to his fellow practitionets, and to himself. Today, dentistry is being challenged not only to continue to develop its science, its research and its clinical practice but to see that dental care is made available to more and more of our people. To find the causes and cures for disease is a major goal of the health professions, but it is not the basic prob- lem today. This nation and its people are interested in se-

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DEDICATION AUSTIN H. KUTSCHER A.B., D.D.S. Ass ' t Prof, of Dentistry