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Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 6, Issue 4, 2001

The Dental Degree and the Dental Association

The Dental Degree and the Dental Association

The New Zealand Dental Association was formed in 1905, with H Rawson as its first President and Arthur Hoby as secretary. This new Association's aims were to encourage diffusion of knowledge in the dental sciences and to promote the honour and interests of the Dental Profession.

Dunedin, with its association with the Medical School, was chosen as the site for the new Dental School, which opened in 1908. It was initially proposed to grant two types of qualifications in dentistry, a certificate or diploma, and a degree course. Control of dental education was now under one centralised body, the University of New Zealand. The Batchelor of Dental Surgery had been introduced in 1907. Prior to that time, aspiring dentists had had to travel overseas to obtain an acceptable level of training. The journey for training was usually to Philadelphia or Michigan in North America, to Ireland, or to Guy's Hospital in London.

A Nelson Branch of the New Zealand Dental Association appears to have started meeting in May 1925, which is the earliest record that we have from the old minute books. At that first meeting Messrs Squires, W Hoby, Shain, Tatton, Dodson, Parkes and Dodds were present. These meetings were held in the members' homes and, apart from the business of the association, one of the members always presented a scientific paper. These must have been very convivial meetings, as the minutes always concluded with such remarks as 'the business of the meeting being concluded the members spent a social hour with the host in the refectory' or 'this concluded the business of the meeting which adjourned to sup at the President's festive board'.