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The Missouri Plan
PRE PARE D N ESS LEAGUE.
good reports, I am optimistic. I believe that when the history of this undertak ing is written up it will be greatly to the credit of the dental profession. The main thing, however, is to take care of the men in the trenches and that comes before everything else. In getting the work of the Northeastern department organized, I found a ready response. The men were in agreement and anxious to go shoulder to shoulder in piishing forward the work. We have had to correct many of our own mistakes and blunders, but naturally it takes a little time to get the organization going perfectly straight. I singled out men whom I felt we could count on, men who were good citizens. We got into com munication by mail and then by inter view. A personal interview, I find, makes for the best results. When I selected my state chairman I got them to single out other men on whose co-operation they could rely. These men had to reach out into the outlying districts and to submit their reports in their turn to the state chairmen. While I have had some diffi-
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eulties I hope that they have been over come. Some men were lacking in en thusiasm and said what is the use of strengthening the organization when the first draft is over. Now, I said, while there is a lull, you can get your papers ready, get your card index ready and you can be Johnny on the Spot for the second draft. In Brooklyn they have done splen did work. They have reorganized their affairs there and if you are interested in the detail of the system, Dr. Frank T. Van Woert, of Galen Hall, Brooklyn, has the most simple, thoro, and efficient method of taking care o f these things that I have ever seen. There should be ho hesitation in asking him to explain this system, as Dr. Van Woert is one of those who is always ready to give his help generously. Some of you may pre fer to keep to your own scheme, now it is started, but some of you may be very glad to see his work. I am sorry that I have not something more formal to offer you, but I assure you that now we have this thing started that we are going to push it.
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TH E M ISSOURI PLAN. Free dental work has been done since last August for 2,500 soldiers, sailors, marines and other enlisted and drafted men in St. Louis to fit them for military service. One hundred dentists have co operated with Lieut. J. P. Harper, chair man of the dental section of the Medical Advisory Board of Missouri in the work. On each of the 166 local boards in the State of Missouri is a dentist, who exam ines the teeth of the drafted man. If the man needs dental work, and is in Class 1, he is given a card to a local dentist, who does the work free. There also are 108 Medical Advisory Boards in the state on each of which is a dentist. When a St. Louis drafted man needs '
dental work he is given a card to Lieut. Harper, who is Secretary of the St. Louis University Dental'College. The man pre sents his card and if the two officers of the dental corps at the college are not able to do the work, he is recommended to one of 100 co-operating dentists in the city. The work is so well regulated that more than forty negro dentists also have pledged their aid and do the work for the men of their race who are selected for military service. All types of the most expensive work are done for the men, where required. X-rays are taken, plates are put in, and the free dental work frequently is of the
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TH E JOURNAL OF TH E N A TIO N AL D EN TA L ASSOCIATION.
type that would cost a civilian many dol lars. Lieut. Harper explained to a reporter for The Star that it has been found where a man has defective teeth, or ab scesses, of which he may not even be aware, any wound he may suffer is doubly slow in healing. For this reason, it was decided to send every man into the field with a clean mouth and every tooth per fectly filled. The first work done by the St. Louis University College last August was on the teeth of 800 members of Battery A. Since that time, all drafted men have been cared for, and men from Scott
Field, the Marines, the Navy and Jeffer son Barracks have been accommodated. There is a staff of dentists at the Bar racks, but they have been unable to care for all the men, and many are sent to Lieut. Harper and he pro-rates them among the dentists in the city who have volunteered for the work. While a reporter was present at the College yesterday, a sailor, a drafted ne gro and a soldier from the barracks came in for dental work. Applicants number from 10 to 50 a day. The men need not necessarily be Missourians, but must have a card from local board or mili tary authority, if already in the service.— St. Louis Star, February 22, ig i8 .
DENTAL M O T O R C A R INFORM ATION. In order to get the Dental Motor Car project properly before the dental pro fession and give them an idea of what has already been done in the way of the first models, I am asking the editors of all the magazines to publish the follow ing statement: It has been arranged by the Chairman of the Dental Motor Car Committee to have sent to any person interested in Dental Motor Cars sets of photographs
showing all details of the Car direct from the photographer at the following prices: l-Set-10-Plain Prints, $2.00 l-Set-10-Linen Prints, $2.50. 1-Set-l0-Lantern Slides, $5.00. Send to the following address for these photographs: Harry C. Beitt, 12970 Em erson Ave., Cleveland, Ohio; Commercial Photographer. Respectfully yours, S.- M. WEAVER, Chairman.
good reports, I am optimistic. I believe that when the history of this undertak ing is written up it will be greatly to the credit of the dental profession. The main thing, however, is to take care of the men in the trenches and that comes before everything else. In getting the work of the Northeastern department organized, I found a ready response. The men were in agreement and anxious to go shoulder to shoulder in piishing forward the work. We have had to correct many of our own mistakes and blunders, but naturally it takes a little time to get the organization going perfectly straight. I singled out men whom I felt we could count on, men who were good citizens. We got into com munication by mail and then by inter view. A personal interview, I find, makes for the best results. When I selected my state chairman I got them to single out other men on whose co-operation they could rely. These men had to reach out into the outlying districts and to submit their reports in their turn to the state chairmen. While I have had some diffi-
ta
ta
427
eulties I hope that they have been over come. Some men were lacking in en thusiasm and said what is the use of strengthening the organization when the first draft is over. Now, I said, while there is a lull, you can get your papers ready, get your card index ready and you can be Johnny on the Spot for the second draft. In Brooklyn they have done splen did work. They have reorganized their affairs there and if you are interested in the detail of the system, Dr. Frank T. Van Woert, of Galen Hall, Brooklyn, has the most simple, thoro, and efficient method of taking care o f these things that I have ever seen. There should be ho hesitation in asking him to explain this system, as Dr. Van Woert is one of those who is always ready to give his help generously. Some of you may pre fer to keep to your own scheme, now it is started, but some of you may be very glad to see his work. I am sorry that I have not something more formal to offer you, but I assure you that now we have this thing started that we are going to push it.
i
TH E M ISSOURI PLAN. Free dental work has been done since last August for 2,500 soldiers, sailors, marines and other enlisted and drafted men in St. Louis to fit them for military service. One hundred dentists have co operated with Lieut. J. P. Harper, chair man of the dental section of the Medical Advisory Board of Missouri in the work. On each of the 166 local boards in the State of Missouri is a dentist, who exam ines the teeth of the drafted man. If the man needs dental work, and is in Class 1, he is given a card to a local dentist, who does the work free. There also are 108 Medical Advisory Boards in the state on each of which is a dentist. When a St. Louis drafted man needs '
dental work he is given a card to Lieut. Harper, who is Secretary of the St. Louis University Dental'College. The man pre sents his card and if the two officers of the dental corps at the college are not able to do the work, he is recommended to one of 100 co-operating dentists in the city. The work is so well regulated that more than forty negro dentists also have pledged their aid and do the work for the men of their race who are selected for military service. All types of the most expensive work are done for the men, where required. X-rays are taken, plates are put in, and the free dental work frequently is of the
428
TH E JOURNAL OF TH E N A TIO N AL D EN TA L ASSOCIATION.
type that would cost a civilian many dol lars. Lieut. Harper explained to a reporter for The Star that it has been found where a man has defective teeth, or ab scesses, of which he may not even be aware, any wound he may suffer is doubly slow in healing. For this reason, it was decided to send every man into the field with a clean mouth and every tooth per fectly filled. The first work done by the St. Louis University College last August was on the teeth of 800 members of Battery A. Since that time, all drafted men have been cared for, and men from Scott
Field, the Marines, the Navy and Jeffer son Barracks have been accommodated. There is a staff of dentists at the Bar racks, but they have been unable to care for all the men, and many are sent to Lieut. Harper and he pro-rates them among the dentists in the city who have volunteered for the work. While a reporter was present at the College yesterday, a sailor, a drafted ne gro and a soldier from the barracks came in for dental work. Applicants number from 10 to 50 a day. The men need not necessarily be Missourians, but must have a card from local board or mili tary authority, if already in the service.— St. Louis Star, February 22, ig i8 .
DENTAL M O T O R C A R INFORM ATION. In order to get the Dental Motor Car project properly before the dental pro fession and give them an idea of what has already been done in the way of the first models, I am asking the editors of all the magazines to publish the follow ing statement: It has been arranged by the Chairman of the Dental Motor Car Committee to have sent to any person interested in Dental Motor Cars sets of photographs
showing all details of the Car direct from the photographer at the following prices: l-Set-10-Plain Prints, $2.00 l-Set-10-Linen Prints, $2.50. 1-Set-l0-Lantern Slides, $5.00. Send to the following address for these photographs: Harry C. Beitt, 12970 Em erson Ave., Cleveland, Ohio; Commercial Photographer. Respectfully yours, S.- M. WEAVER, Chairman.