tooth plucker

Trials of a tooth plucker

The trials of bringing the science of dentistry to Papua- New Guinea were amply demon strated in early June when a well-meaning tooth-plucker was lucky to escape from a Gulf District village with his life.

At Mei’i village an Admin istration dental assistant extracted several teeth from the children.

When he finished, the villagers demanded money in exchange for their children’s teeth.

Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, the dental assistant packed his things and got out while the going was good. Gulf District Health Officer, Dr. Walker, later said it might be ,{ a long time” before a dentist went that way again.

He also said the dental assistant was partly to blame—he should have asked the parents’ per mission before extracting the teeth.