Why is the dental nursing profession left to die?

THE EDITOR: On November 25, 2004, I attended a function where the dental nurses celebrated 25 years of existence and service to Trinidad and Tobago. Dental nursing is a profession when compared to medical and geriatric nursing does exist throughout the world. Dental nurses are trained in primary dental health care and deal with children up to the age of twelve years. Dental nurses are not dependent on the dentist and can be found in health centres throughout the country.

They work within the PNM vision of “we care” by providing professional dental care to the poor citizens who can take their children to the health centres in places like Toco, Mayaro, Rio Claro, Siparia, Diego Martin etc for dental treatment. A revolution in dentistry took place 25 years ago when the then PNM government endorsed the proposal for a dental training school for the training of dental nurses. However, the school has not been in operation for years and the training of dental nurses has ceased.

The founder and person responsible for implementing this profession in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr RVM Atwell, the first principal of the school gave an address at the function and I am indeed sad that her efforts and hard work of the past, may go down the drain. At the 39th Annual Convention of the PNM, Mr Manning made mention of training for medical nurses, geriatric nurses and others but no mention was made with respect to the reopening of the dental school and the restart of training in dental nursing. I call on Mr Rahael to immediately pool all resources together, consult with the personnel in charge, the Senior Dental Surgeon, the founder, Dr RVM Atwell and restart the training of dental nurses. Please, don’t let this profession end like the dinosaurs.

LENNARD JOHN
Toco