programs who were licensed as den tal hygienists in Massachusetts and not dental hygiene students. Recent graduate dental hygienists were sel ected for our research so as not to in terfere with the existing didactic and clinical curriculum at the Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists. The experimental program was conducted as a research project and in no way interfaced with the accredited pro gram of instruction at Forsyth which leads to a certificate in dental hygiene.
who are only able to practice two or three half days a week because of a lack of patients. One thing that no one seems to take into account is the staggering impact of fluoridation of city water supplies. In our county (Marion), we have had an 85% reduction in D M F teeth in the last 15 years. Coupled with your figures, that’s rather signif icant. Thanks for the information. P. E. BLY, DDS INDIANAPOLIS
RALPH R. LOBENE, DDS
HYGIENISTS BOSTON
N o sh o rta g e o f d en tists
■ Thanks for your hard-hitting edi torial on the “ Dental manpower shor tage” in the September j a d a . I am encouraged to see these ideas ex pressed by someone from the A D A in Chicago. All too often those of us out in the “ field” feel that you there in “ headquarters” don’t know what some of our problems really are. It’s nice to realize that at least some of you do know and care. There is certainly not a shortage of dentists in my area when you consid er the demand for our service. Many of us who have been in practice many years are not overwhelmed by the de mand for appointments. In fact, most o f my friends are complaining that they are not nearly as busy as they would like to be much of the time. 1 know o f very few dentists here who are turning away new patients. Thanks again for telling “ our” side of the story. FLOYD E. FARLOW , DDS ED ITOR, JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION ATLANTA
■ I enjoyed reading your editorial on the so-called manpower shortage in the September issue of t h e j o u r n a l . I have been saying that this surplus was coming for the past five years, but have felt like a voice in the wilder ness! We have young men in Indianapolis
m The review o f the work of the Wo men’s Auxiliary to the American Dental A ssociation in the September j a d a is excellent. Thank you so much for including so many o f our important projects for dental health education in t h e j o u r n a l. MRS. R. H. MONTGOMERY PRESID EN T-ELECT W O M EN ’S AUXILIARY TO THE AMERICAN D ENTAL ASSOCIATION
PROJECT DIRECTOR AND DEAN FORSYTH SCHOOL FOR DENTAL
W a a d a review
KINGSPORT, T EN N
W o m e n in d en tistry
■ I wish to compliment you on the series you have been running in j a d a for the past several months on women dentists in the 1855-1880 period, as excerpted from j a d a (15:1735 Sept 1928). Our own historical files have been severely wanting in historical infor mation until this last year when the records and professional papers o f the late Dr. Mildred McCallip Dickerson were willed to the Association of American Women Dentists. The j a d a biographies help to pro vide a role model for young women seeking a career in dentistry, and I thank you for your effort along this line as well as for the interest you cre ate in those of us who are already in the profession. The September vignette on Dr. Marie Grubert will help us in our goal to persuade women dentists to seek leadership opportunities in their den tal societies and in the A D A . It is not the aim o f A A W D to isolate our mem bers from the profession, but rather through association together to build self-confidence and esteem so that our members will be encouraged to volunteer for and seek dental society committee appointments and leader ship posts in the profession. Thank you for reinforcing the con cept that women can and have been fully acceptable, responsible members o f the profession. HELYN LUECHAUER, DDS PRESIDENT-ELECT ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN WOM EN DENTISTS HOLLYW OOD, CALIF
In su ra n c e fi r m ’s a u d a c ity
m Dentists have long lived in fear of becoming pawns of the American in surance industry. When insurance companies dictate what treatment they will or w on’t cover, unfortu nately the public suffers. But when an insurance company, after receiving a treatment plan from a dentist not only reviews what it will cover but further tries to dictate a di agnosis and recommended treatment, and then has the audacity to write directly to a patient and state it dis agrees with the dentist’s diagnosis and treatment plan— I say this type of contempt for the profession of den tistry has gone too far. Such a slur on the capabilities o f any dentist—by any insurance company— should be re buffed in the strongest terms. I diagnosed and informed a patient o f a periodontal condition that would require surgery to eliminate. The in surance company in its following let ter sent to the patient implies that my diagnosis may be in error and the treatment is not necessary. The letter states in part: “ Your claim for dental services has been reviewed by our consultant. “ It is the intent of the plan to pro vide benefits for covered services which are required to treat a dental condition and accomplish a result. “ In line with the intent and after radiographic examination, it is our consultant’s professional opinion that there appears to be minimal bone loss and that six periodontal treatments
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / JADA, Vol. 93, December 1976 ■ 1065
who are only able to practice two or three half days a week because of a lack of patients. One thing that no one seems to take into account is the staggering impact of fluoridation of city water supplies. In our county (Marion), we have had an 85% reduction in D M F teeth in the last 15 years. Coupled with your figures, that’s rather signif icant. Thanks for the information. P. E. BLY, DDS INDIANAPOLIS
RALPH R. LOBENE, DDS
HYGIENISTS BOSTON
N o sh o rta g e o f d en tists
■ Thanks for your hard-hitting edi torial on the “ Dental manpower shor tage” in the September j a d a . I am encouraged to see these ideas ex pressed by someone from the A D A in Chicago. All too often those of us out in the “ field” feel that you there in “ headquarters” don’t know what some of our problems really are. It’s nice to realize that at least some of you do know and care. There is certainly not a shortage of dentists in my area when you consid er the demand for our service. Many of us who have been in practice many years are not overwhelmed by the de mand for appointments. In fact, most o f my friends are complaining that they are not nearly as busy as they would like to be much of the time. 1 know o f very few dentists here who are turning away new patients. Thanks again for telling “ our” side of the story. FLOYD E. FARLOW , DDS ED ITOR, JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA DENTAL ASSOCIATION ATLANTA
■ I enjoyed reading your editorial on the so-called manpower shortage in the September issue of t h e j o u r n a l . I have been saying that this surplus was coming for the past five years, but have felt like a voice in the wilder ness! We have young men in Indianapolis
m The review o f the work of the Wo men’s Auxiliary to the American Dental A ssociation in the September j a d a is excellent. Thank you so much for including so many o f our important projects for dental health education in t h e j o u r n a l. MRS. R. H. MONTGOMERY PRESID EN T-ELECT W O M EN ’S AUXILIARY TO THE AMERICAN D ENTAL ASSOCIATION
PROJECT DIRECTOR AND DEAN FORSYTH SCHOOL FOR DENTAL
W a a d a review
KINGSPORT, T EN N
W o m e n in d en tistry
■ I wish to compliment you on the series you have been running in j a d a for the past several months on women dentists in the 1855-1880 period, as excerpted from j a d a (15:1735 Sept 1928). Our own historical files have been severely wanting in historical infor mation until this last year when the records and professional papers o f the late Dr. Mildred McCallip Dickerson were willed to the Association of American Women Dentists. The j a d a biographies help to pro vide a role model for young women seeking a career in dentistry, and I thank you for your effort along this line as well as for the interest you cre ate in those of us who are already in the profession. The September vignette on Dr. Marie Grubert will help us in our goal to persuade women dentists to seek leadership opportunities in their den tal societies and in the A D A . It is not the aim o f A A W D to isolate our mem bers from the profession, but rather through association together to build self-confidence and esteem so that our members will be encouraged to volunteer for and seek dental society committee appointments and leader ship posts in the profession. Thank you for reinforcing the con cept that women can and have been fully acceptable, responsible members o f the profession. HELYN LUECHAUER, DDS PRESIDENT-ELECT ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN WOM EN DENTISTS HOLLYW OOD, CALIF
In su ra n c e fi r m ’s a u d a c ity
m Dentists have long lived in fear of becoming pawns of the American in surance industry. When insurance companies dictate what treatment they will or w on’t cover, unfortu nately the public suffers. But when an insurance company, after receiving a treatment plan from a dentist not only reviews what it will cover but further tries to dictate a di agnosis and recommended treatment, and then has the audacity to write directly to a patient and state it dis agrees with the dentist’s diagnosis and treatment plan— I say this type of contempt for the profession of den tistry has gone too far. Such a slur on the capabilities o f any dentist—by any insurance company— should be re buffed in the strongest terms. I diagnosed and informed a patient o f a periodontal condition that would require surgery to eliminate. The in surance company in its following let ter sent to the patient implies that my diagnosis may be in error and the treatment is not necessary. The letter states in part: “ Your claim for dental services has been reviewed by our consultant. “ It is the intent of the plan to pro vide benefits for covered services which are required to treat a dental condition and accomplish a result. “ In line with the intent and after radiographic examination, it is our consultant’s professional opinion that there appears to be minimal bone loss and that six periodontal treatments
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / JADA, Vol. 93, December 1976 ■ 1065
