ERN DENTISTRY 
FOR THE LAITY 
AND INDUSTRIAL 
DENTISTRY FOR 
THE CORPORATION 
Alfred Armstrong Crocker Modern Dentistry 
for the Laity 
and 
Industrial Dentistry for 
the Corporation 
By 
Alfred A. Crocker 
Cincinnati, Ohio 
1918 
Published by 
THE DENTAL REGISTER 
Founded 1847 
PIONEER DENTAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES 
Cincinnati, Ohio Copyrighted, July, 1918 
By THE SAM'L A. CROCKER CO.' 
Cincinnati, Ohio TJEDICATED to the 
Dental Profession, 
whose avowed purpose is 
the prevention of decay 
and preservation of the 
teeth of the human race PREFACE 
In writing these short essays 
on dentistry and its application 
to the individual welfare it has 
been the writer's intention to 
point out how decay of the teeth 
is the prime factor in the ulti- 
mate loss of the teeth and also 
how this destructive cause can 
be prevented. Caries, the tech- 
nical dental term used meaning 
decay of the tooth structure, has 
been a prime subject of dentistry 
and has received immense atten- 
tion by the dental profession. 
The investigator who isolated the 
germ of caries, the late Dr. W. 
D. Miller, an American, spent 
years on this subject and we have 
as a result a sure method of pre- 
ventative dentistry. It is to 
detect the decay. This can only 
5 Preface 
be done by a dentist. The opera- 
tion of detecting decay is known 
as prophylaxis. The first monu- 
ment ever erected to a man of 
the dental profession was erected 
on the spacious campus of the 
Ohio State University to the 
memory of Dr. W. D. Miller. 
This statue of Dr. Miller stands 
in a very prominent position of 
the grounds of Ohio's largest 
university. From this you will 
infer the importance and inti- 
mate meaning of this subject of 
decay to humanity. To explain 
this subject and its application 
to every-day efficiency this pam- 
phlet is written. 
Alfred A. Crocker. 
6 PAGE 
Preface 5 
Modern Dentistry- 
The Zero System of Efficiency Den- 
tistry-Tooth Insurance-Decay 
Proofing 9 
Dentistry as a Factor in Indus- 
trial Corporations 16 
Preservation of the Teeth by the 
Industrial System 24 
Another Phase of Industrial Den- 
tistry 30 
How the Iron Industry is Bene- 
fited by Preventative Den- 
tistry 37 
Economics and Philosophy of In- 
dustrial Dentistry- 
Scientific Dental Citation versus 
Volitional Tooth Care 43 
Reasons for Corporation Den- 
tistry 51 
List of Corporations Using the 
Zero System at Time of Going 
to Press 59 
CONTENTS 
7 MODERN DENTISTRY 
The Zero System and Efficiency Den- 
tistry-Tooth Insurance-Decay 
Proofing 
Copyrighted March, 1918, by the Dental 
Register, published by the Sam'l A. Crocker 
Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 
The idea to follow in regard to 
your teeth is prevention of decay. 
Decay is constantly starting its 
destructive process, and by the 
use of the tooth brush and anti- 
septics is partially counteracted, 
but it takes periodical examina- 
tion by a dentist to keep the teeth 
in perfect condition and to detect 
the decay before it gets a start 
toward the certain destruction of 
the teeth. By periodical prophy- 
laxis, cleaning and examination 
of the teeth, the dentist performs 
a work which will save your teeth 
in their original perfect condi- 
9 Modern Dentistry 
tion, or if you are just starting 
with the periodical prophylaxis, 
the dentist will be able to pre- 
serve your teeth in as good con- 
dition as they are now or will be 
after he once gets them again in 
perfect condition. Efficiency Den- 
tistry by the Zero System means 
preservation of the teeth, reduc- 
ing the decay to the minimum or 
zero point, and maintaining your 
energy at a maximum. It also 
means minimizing tooth diffi- 
culties, preserving the teeth in as 
near their pristine perfection as 
is possible and making the neces- 
sary fillings, inlays or restora- 
tions approach the zero point. 
Patients who have heeded the 
principles of this system of peri- 
odical examination by their den- 
tist have very few filled teeth, 
and where there is a filling it is 
10 Modern Dentistry 
a very small one. This is because 
the decay was caught by the den- 
tist at a periodical examination 
before it had caused very much 
damage. A small pin point fill- 
ing was all that was necessary. 
Had such a decay been allowed 
to run until the tooth ached, the 
whole crown of the tooth might 
have had to be filled or the tooth 
might have had to be extracted. 
The attention to the teeth is 
not a vogue of society nor an 
effort per se to maintain good ap- 
pearance. While dentistry has a 
feature of esthetics, its larger, 
its main demand is necessity. 
There has been evolved through 
the fifty odd years of the develop- 
ment of the present practice of 
dentistry by the dental profes- 
sion the system now termed 
Efficiency Dentistry. A patient 
11 Modern Dentistry 
can, by periodical visits to the 
dentist, minimize the decay of 
the teeth approaching the zero 
point. The dentist at each peri- 
odical visit of the patient ex- 
amines the teeth and detects any 
unsoundness, and if a cavity is 
found, a filling is made. Such a 
discovery is of course made long 
before the decay would be ad- 
vanced enough to cause the 
patient to notice it by any pain. 
Sometimes a patient, when a 
small cavity is starting, com- 
plains of lassitude and lack of 
energy, but of course does not 
attribute it to a small cavitv in a 
tooth, for at this stage the cavity 
is small and often between the 
teeth and not observable except 
to a dentist, and not possible to 
locate it with the tongue. Be- 
sides, the average patient does 
12 Modem Dentistry 
not complain until a tooth aches, 
and of course by that time the 
decay has reached the sensitive 
nerve pulp. During the develop- 
ment of a decaying tooth, from 
the time of the first infinitesimal 
pit until it has enlarged and 
deepened until it starts to ache, 
there is a sapping of the patient's 
energy and an increasing condi- 
tion of debility is developed until 
the ache and pain in the tooth 
announces to the patient the true 
cause. By following the Zero 
System of fillings by adhering to 
Efficiency Dentistry, the decay is 
discovered by the dentist long be- 
fore it reaches the climax in the 
aching tooth, and consequently 
the fillings are very small and the 
teeth remain strong and vigorous. 
Patients who have, upon ad- 
vice of their dentist, faithfully 
13 Modern Dentistry 
followed this principle of Effi- 
ciency Dentistry, have very few 
filled teeth and have never had a 
tooth ache. They have likewise 
always been at high nerve force 
so far as their teeth are con- 
cerned. The dentist eventually 
gets the patient, but what about 
the energy and health of the 
patient in the meantime? The 
dentist is consulted so late and 
the decay has gone so far that it 
means a large filling, a with- 
drawal of the tooth, restoration 
of some kind, an artificial tooth, 
crown or bridgework. This 
calamity is all saved by Efficiency 
Dentistry, and the nerve energy 
for work or pleasure also con- 
served. Let your dentist put 
your name on his list of patients 
for periodical prophylaxis, with 
a full understanding of the 
14 Modern Dentistry 
principles involved. When you 
are in possession of the facts re- 
garding the advantages of peri- 
odical prophylaxis by the dentist 
as outlined in this article, you are 
in position to apply the logic of it 
for yourself. 
Efficiency Dentistry by Zero 
System through periodical 
prophylaxis by your dentist is 
your tooth insurance. Efficiency 
Dentistry decay-proofs your 
teeth. Decay-proof your teeth 
now so you will not have a " tooth- 
less day." 
15 DENTISTRY AS A FACTOR 
IN INDUSTRIAL COR- 
PORATIONS 
Written by request for the Keystone. Pub- 
lished in the June, 1918, number of the Key- 
stone by the Keystone Publishing Co., Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 
When requested to make a 
statement of the advantage of 
dentistry to industry I am 
pleased to comply with the re- 
quest, for it encourages me to 
believe the intimate relationship 
of health and good teeth is begin- 
ning to be realized as it should. 
At least there is an inclination to 
hear the argument and allow the 
logic to work its own conclusion. 
For this kind of opportunity I 
thank the editor for his con- 
sideration and kind request. 
Everybody now knows that 
the United States Government 
16 Modern Dentistry 
does1 not accept a soldier until his 
teeth are put in order. For this 
there is a reason. Through the 
experience of the American 
dental profession during the past 
fifty years every case of decay 
has shown that had it been taken 
at the start or shortly afterward 
the tooth could have been saved 
or at least a large cavity to be 
filled or an artificial tooth crown 
would not have been necessary. 
This experience also has shown 
that during the period between 
starting of decay and the final 
painful aching of the tooth that 
a gradually increasing sapping 
of the patient's energy has taken 
place amounting all the way 
from lassitude to debility. On 
arrival of the aching of the tooth 
of course the patient then goes to 
a dentist, feeling his duty to him- 
17 Modern Dentistry 
self well attended to because he 
went immediately upon noticing 
the pain. However, the fact is 
that the dentist says, "Why 
didn't you come six months ago? 
I could have saved that tooth for 
you but now it has to come out." 
To prevent decay people must 
go to the dentist at least twice 
a year to have their teeth ex- 
amined and have the decay 
stopped. Small decays dis- 
covered at these periodical pro- 
loxises (or tooth cleanings) are 
attended to by your dentist by 
small fillings. Thus instead of 
large fillings or artificial crowns 
and artificial teeth the patient 
has small fillings or very often 
no fillings at all. 
This system of periodical 
prophylaxis we have called the 
Zero System of preventative 
18 Modern Dentistry 
dentistry. This is the system 
instituted by the United States 
Government. To start it off the 
teeth have to be put in perfect 
condition (if not already so) 
and thereafter by periodical ex- 
amination by the dentist are 
kept in perfect condition. The 
names of the men are put on a 
card index system and peri- 
odically called to the dental 
office for the prophylaxis. In 
private life the Zero System 
should be carried out by taking 
yourself to your dentist. 
United States corporations 
have for many years been inter- 
ested in welfare work for their 
operatives and office force hav- 
ing used one or all of the follow- 
ing plans: Recreation room, 
medical office, reading rooms, 
roof gardens, gymnasiums, base- 
19 Modern Dentistry 
ball clubs, billiard rooms, bath 
houses, summer outings, hos- 
pitals, have besides provided 
entertainments, business talks, 
salesmen's talks, shop procedure 
lectures, in fact most everything 
but dentistry. Dentistry has 
been left to the individual and 
as stated above not until the pain 
announced that the decay had 
reached the nerve pulp and the 
tooth was gone has the dentist 
been consulted. 
Industrial dentistry does for 
the individual more in maintain- 
ing equilibrium of nerve force 
than many of the above men- 
tioned already tried methods of 
welfare work. By having the 
entire force of the men and 
women in a factory or works 
card indexed the industrial den- 
tist calls each one into the in- 
20 Modern Dentistry 
dustrial dental office, examines 
the teeth, cleans them, gives im- 
mediate necessary treatment, 
notes on a card (duplicate of 
which he files) the work neces- 
sary to place the teeth in good 
order, and requests that the pa- 
tient have the work done by his 
or her family dentist. This being 
a provision of the corporation to 
conserve the energy of the per- 
sonnel of their force both for 
their (the patients') own good 
and for the good of the corpora- 
tion. The ultimate time saved 
the patient counts much toward 
the cost of having the work done 
and the efficiency produced there- 
by amply repays the corporation 
for the outlay in the increased 
output. There is no absence on 
account of aching teeth under 
the Zero System. There is no 
21 Modern Dentistry 
lassitude or feverish conditions 
due to decaying teeth which the 
patients think is caused by some- 
thing else. 
When the principle of pre- 
vention of decay is thoroughly 
thought out and the time that is 
saved both operative and cor- 
poration by this smooth run- 
ning system, the welfare value 
of the Zero System of preventive 
dentistry will be classed at the 
head of the list. In fact, it 
enables the operatives not only 
to better attend to their work 
but also enables them to better 
enjoy your more pleasureable 
welfare features. One salient 
feature of the system of ex- 
amination, inasmuch as one 
doesn't know just when the call 
to the office is coming, the addic- 
tion to stimulants and other ex- 
22 Modern Dentistry 
cesses of human kind are subject 
to moderation, in fact, to better 
surveillance. 
The industrial dentist is gener- 
ally a regular practitioner who 
undertakes to take care of the 
work during certain days of the 
week, together with his regular 
private practice work. In large 
corporations where several thou- 
sand are employed there is 
enough work to keep one dentist 
busy all the year round. 
In conclusion industrial den- 
tistry is similar to army den- 
tistry on a smaller scale, and 
similar to taking yourself to the 
dentist periodically on a larger 
scale. It is a new way for cor- 
porations to show their attention 
to the human element within its 
bounds and another (heretofore 
omitted) method of doing its 
welfare work. 
23 PRESERVATION OF THE 
TEETH BY THE IN- 
DUSTRIAL SYSTEM 
Written expressly for the Kreolite News. 
Published in the June, 1918, number of the 
Kreolite News, printed by Jennison & Wright, 
Toledo, Ohio. 
You might possibly say, 
"What has dentistry to do with 
our corporation? We have done 
very well without welfare work 
in the dentistry line; why not 
leave the matter to the individual 
person ? ' ' This is all very well if 
the individual knows about pre- 
ventative dentistry and knows 
enough about the subject to go 
periodically to his dentist to 
prevent the decay that is con- 
tinually starting in the teeth. 
If he knows that all household 
and personal efforts to prevent 
decay are only partially effectual 
24 Modern Dentistry 
and that in the long run he will 
have to visit the dentist he is 
in a fair way to accept the 
principle of preventative den- 
tistry, or zero system as we call 
it, and go to the dentist in time 
to save his teeth. In this article 
the writer does not intend to go 
into the systematic conditions 
which are adverse to human 
efficiency that are directly trace- 
able to decaying teeth. You may 
have already some knowledge of 
them. The idea of the corpora- 
tion is to develop the highest 
efficiency of the operative force 
just the same as it is the object 
of Uncle Sam to develop the 
highest efficiency of the army 
and navy. 
The object of this article is to 
impress upon the reader that by 
the simple system of seeing his 
25 Modern Dentistry 
dentist at least two times a year 
lie can have his natural teeth for 
his old age and be of full energy 
so far as his teeth are concerned 
all the time. Industrially the 
installation of a dental clinic 
means that the care of the opera- 
tives' teeth will be popularized 
and that everyone shall know 
that it is not necessary to lose 
their teeth if they go to their 
dentist. The care of the teeth 
is fast becoming a community 
interest, for it has been demon- 
strated that when left to the 
individual preventative dentistry 
is not carried out as it should 
be. Why does the United States 
Government require every re- 
cruit for the army or navy or 
aviation corps to have his teeth 
put in good prophylactic con- 
dition? It is because once the 
26 Modern Dentistry 
work in the mouth is brought 
up to the health mark the army 
or navy dentist can keep them in 
tooth health by the periodical 
prophylaxis at certain periods. 
A card index system is kept 
of each member of a company 
or crew and they are called peri- 
odically for the tooth prophy- 
laxis. This same system with 
its advantage of personal effi- 
ciency is utilized in forty-two 
industrial corporations in the 
United States today and the 
number is growing as fast as 
executives learn of the advantage 
the system is to those already 
using it. There has been great 
publicity given to the subject of 
tree dentistry, as all Kreolite 
readers know, how the forester 
noticing decay in the beautiful 
trees marks them for attention 
27 Modern Dentistry 
and along conies the tree dentist 
to make his filling of plaster to 
keep out the atmosphere and stop 
the decay, thus restoring the 
wasting energy of the tree and 
perpetuating its life. Human 
preventative dentistry is very 
similar, especially army and navy 
and industrial dentistry; for 
everyone is called to the dental 
chair, the decay discovered and 
the small necessary fillings made. 
In private life, however, the 
tendency is to wait for the ach- 
ing tooth, then, of course, you 
know it is time to go. However, 
then it is too late, for the life of 
the tooth is gone. The pain is 
the dying tooth, not the an- 
nouncement that it is time to go 
to the dentist to save it. 
There are many features of 
this subject which corporations 
28 Modern Dentistry 
can consider when planning their 
welfare work. Corporations have 
the welfare of their force at 
heart and have spent large sums 
in medical hospitals, recreation 
rooms, gymnasiums, summer out- 
ings, picnics, lectures of all 
kinds, but have with few excep- 
tions overlooked preventative 
dentistry altogether. 
The writer has found a most 
attentive ear to this subject of 
industrial dentistry and to pre- 
ventative dentistry individually, 
for it enables one to understand 
the reason which has actuated 
the Government and the in- 
dustrial corporations who have 
already instituted this system. 
29 ANOTHER PHASE OF IN- 
DUSTRIAL DENTISTRY 
Published as a pamphlet by The Sam'l A. 
Crocker Co., May, 1918. 
As a minute writer on the sub- 
ject of preservation of the teeth 
and its ultimate relationship to 
public health I look upon the 
field of industry as one of the 
first to derive a substantial bene- 
fit from preventative dentistry. 
The dental profession has as its 
primary purpose the preserva- 
tion of the public health so far 
as it relates to the teeth, and 
the relationship is beginning to 
be better and easier understood. 
In a nutshell the argument is 
that if you will have your den- 
tist examine your teeth and de- 
tect the small cavities of decay 
and have small fillings stop the 
30 Modern Dentistry 
decay, you will preserve the 
teeth. The United States Gov- 
ernment has adopted this pro- 
gram of preventative dentistry 
and all soldiers have their teeth 
examined and put in good order 
before being allowed to enlist. 
The reason for this is that every- 
body, unless they have just 
recently been to a dentist, has 
the small cavities indicating the 
start of decay, and the gradual 
increase of the decaying process 
de-energizes the patient and 
destroys the tooth until the tooth 
reaches the aching point. Unless 
you understand that you can 
intercept this decay by a visit to 
your dentist, not realizing there 
is decay, for it doesn't ache or 
pain you for from six to nine 
months, you unconsciously wait 
until it does ache, which it will. 
31 Modern Dentistry 
But then it is too late and you 
have to lose the tooth or have 
a large crown or very large fill- 
ing with sometimes devitalized 
nerve. 
The Government dentists have 
a card index list of all soldiers 
in their camp and periodically 
examine each patient and make 
the small fillings if any are 
needed. By this periodical, at 
least two times a year, examina- 
tion, the decay is discovered long 
before it reaches the aching point 
and of course the teeth are kept 
in fine health and the energy of 
the patient is at full strength 
so far as the teeth are concerned. 
Industrially this same principle 
which we call the Zero System is 
applied by the industrial dentist 
who is appointed by the manage- 
ment of a corporation to con- 
32 Modern Dentistry 
serve the tooth health of the 
people within its jurisdiction, 
the operative force. 
Industrial dentistry is a 
feature of welfare work which 
corporations have with few ex- 
ceptions so far entirely over- 
looked, but it is hoped they will 
soon realize the value it has for 
maintaining efficiency and good 
health among the operatives. 
Many forms of welfare wTork 
have been undertaken by cor- 
porations, including hospital 
medical rooms, rest rooms, read- 
ing and recreation parlors, roof 
gardens, billiard halls, summer 
outings, baseball, most every- 
thing but dentistry; this with a 
few exceptions, for now there are 
a number of corporations which 
are carrying on the Zero System 
of preventative dentistry with 
great success. 
33 Modern Dentistry 
If the movement toward pres- 
ervation of dental health is to 
succeed it will take the united 
effort of the whole nation with 
a dissemination of the simple 
principle of incepting the decay 
before the total damage of the 
tooth takes place. To see that 
this is done and that the natural 
efficiency of the soldier is pre- 
served the United States Gov- 
ernment as stated already has 
started the practice of periodical 
examinations of the teeth. In- 
dustrially the same thing can be 
done, it being for the benefit of 
the patient as well as for the 
corporation. Under this system 
there is no loss of time on ac- 
count of lack of energy due to 
painful teeth, there is no facial 
neuralgia, there is no loss of 
time which under the old system 
34 Modern Dentistry 
of waiting for the pain while 
the tooth was being extracted, 
large fillings, besides plates, etc., 
were being made, besides the 
patients have their natural teeth. 
What better system could there 
be ? At present those who do not 
understand preventative den- 
tistry think they are all right 
and that there is plenty of time 
to save the tooth if they go to 
the dentist as soon as it aches, 
but alas, this is wrong. The 
tooth only aches when it is too 
late. The only way to catch this, 
as stated before, is by periodical 
prophylaxis. At first I am con- 
tinually met with the opposition, 
"What has this to do with our 
business?" I can only say, that 
if tried you will find that you 
will class the Zero System of pre- 
ventative dentistry industrially 
35 Modern Dentistry 
ahead of your other welfare 
features, and besides, it helps 
all involved to better apply their 
energies to both their work and 
your more pleasurable recrea- 
tional welfare programs. 
36 HOW THE IRON INDUSTRY 
IS BENEFITED BY PRE- 
VENTATIVE DENTISTRY 
Written for the Iron Trade Review, May, 1918. 
It has been shown in many 
ways how good teeth benefit the 
individual and on the principle 
that what benefits the individual 
benefits all alike, it can be shown 
how preventative dentistry bene- 
fits a whole organization. Wel- 
fare work within a corporation 
has as its prime motive the im- 
provement of the health of the 
operatives with a result of in- 
creasing human efficiency and 
bringing up the force to its 
normal strength. A decaying 
tooth will not ache until it is so 
far gone that it is impossible to 
save it or nearly so at any rate. 
37 Modern Dentistry 
To detect the decay the examina- 
tion has to be performed by a 
dentist. Decay devitalizes the 
patient in proportion as the 
decay increases yet the patient 
does not realize his condition is 
due to a tooth. This is demon- 
strated in every factory where a 
dental clinic has been installed. 
Without going into the disas- 
trous conditions which follow as 
a result of not detecting the 
decay, it is the object of this 
article to only point out how 
easily the de-energizing influence 
of decay can be prevented. The 
installation of a dental outfit 
and the employment of a dentist 
brings the corporation up to the 
status of taking a hand in direct- 
ing the maintenance of human 
energy which is so important in 
any enterprise. It becomes a 
38 Modern Dentistry 
benefit to the individual and re- 
mains as a benefit to the indus- 
trial corporation. The indus- 
trial dentist card indexes the men 
and women who are to come 
under his care and calls them 
in to the clinic twice a year. 
On the start he finds various 
amounts of dental work neces- 
sary to put the set of teeth of 
each individual in prophylactic 
condition. This he indicates on 
duplicate cards giving the orig- 
inal to the patient and request- 
ing that the family dentist attend 
to the work and when it is 
finished that the patient report 
and be checked in. This is the 
same as the recruit in the army 
does. After this initial work 
the semi-annual preventative 
prophylaxis takes care of the 
case and decay is stopped. You 
39 Modern Dentistry 
will see that there is no allowing 
a case of decay to reach the ach- 
ing point because it takes six to 
nine months or a year to do that 
and the periodical prophylaxis 
catches this. Industrial dentis- 
try takes the matter of going to 
the dentist out of the volition 
of the patient and runs it ac- 
cording to system. If the laity 
did this voluntarily which a few 
have learned to do they have the 
same high energy that results 
from industrial application of 
the principle. A large company 
in the iron trade, the Cincinnati 
Milling Machine Co., is one of 
the fifty odd corporations in the 
United States which at present 
operate a dental clinic along the 
lines above explained. The in- 
stallation of this work is a wel- 
fare feature to the workers and 
40 Modern Dentistry 
a benefit to the company in 
uniform attendance to labor and 
maintenance of good health 
which is essential thereto. Many 
people understand the simple 
principle of detection of decay 
without applying it to their 
teeth and it is for this reason 
that the corporation being ad- 
vised and having learned of this 
do the detecting for them. In- 
dividuals will protect iron from 
the effects of rust and show con- 
cern for this devastating force 
because it is in plain sight but 
will overlook a similar destruc- 
tive force operating on their 
teeth because they can not see it 
or feel it. When one grasps the 
fundamental truths of this sub- 
ject one can follow the logic to 
the conclusion for oneself. 
41 Modern Dentistry 
Industrially applied preventa- 
tive dentistry is a success. The 
new Government plant at Nitro, 
W. Va., is equipped with a dental 
outfit for preventative dentistry. 
When industries of this calibre 
adopt the Zero System of pre- 
ventative dentistry it is because 
there is really something in it 
for the betterment of human 
energy and efficiency. 
42 ECONOMICS AND PHILOS- 
OPHY OF INDUSTRIAL 
DENTISTRY 
Scientific Dental Citation 
versus 
Volitional Tooth Care 
In handing over a valuable 
article with the expression, "I 
trust you will take good care of 
this," the answer generally is, 
4 4 Yes, indeed, I will take care of 
it just the same as if it were my 
own." Of course the party 
means well, but does "to take 
care of the valuable article just 
the same as if it were their own" 
mean that they will take care of 
it as they should? We have daily 
examples of this "taking care." 
The teeth are put in our care for 
us to take care of and we must 
43 Modern Dentistry 
take care of them because they 
are our own. The fact remains, 
however, the dentist can take 
care of them better than we can. 
We can let the dentist take care 
of them so our part in the care 
taking is permitting the dentist 
to do it. When we have learned 
this, institution and corporation 
dentistry can consider their work 
done. 
Until public institutions and 
corporations became interested 
in systematizing the care of the 
teeth for their people the prac- 
tice of individual care of the 
teeth was volitional and entirely 
"as if they were their own." 
With the exception of a small 
percentage who from good ad- 
vice follow preventative dentis- 
try methods by seeing their den- 
tist periodically the people are 
44 Modern Dentistry 
permitting their teeth to decay 
and eventually they will be wear- 
ing false teeth. 
The installation by a corpora- 
tion of a dental clinic and calling 
operatives for dental examina- 
tion stops this volitional system 
and substitutes dental citation to 
the family dentist. The corpo- 
ration dentist is an expert in 
diagnosis and prophylaxis be- 
sides being a good all around 
practitioner and in his care the 
people within the jurisdiction of 
the corporation are kept in good 
hands and given good dental di- 
rection. It is identically the 
same as preventative medicine 
and good advice in the medical 
line which the corporation phy- 
sician dispenses. 
We have termed the dental 
plan of corporation dentistry the 
45 Modern Dentistry 
Zero System because it reduces 
the loss of the teeth to a mini- 
mum, zero in many cases. Also 
because it reduces the large fill- 
ings, restorations, crowns and 
bridge work, and false plates to 
a minimum, also zero in many 
cases. We have been asked what 
this new "freezing" system of 
dentistry is, but of course the 
one who asked that question did 
not grasp the broad scope of this 
subject. We have also been 
asked if corporation dentistry is 
dentistry on a "wholesale" plan. 
Neither does this question show 
a grasp of the meaning of the 
subject. Systematization of the 
care of the teeth means caring 
for them in a scientific way by 
having periodical advice from 
your dentist about them. Com- 
pare the health of a community 
46 Modern Dentistry 
run on a scientific basis and sys- 
tem with a community run on 
the volitional basis, run as each 
individual feels about it, and you 
have the argument. For the den- 
tal profession, institutional and 
corporation dentistry will act as 
a pulmotor of dentistry. For 
the people cared for the work 
done will preserve and maintain 
health, cure troubles formerly 
considered due to unknown and 
untraceable causes, and maintain 
efficiency of nerve force. For 
the corporation it becomes its 
most potent efficiency producer 
and provides a mutual interest 
and aid work from which every 
worker derives a benefit. 
One noticeable thing, notice- 
able by its absence, is the lack of 
examination of the teeth and 
mouth by the examining physi- 
47 Modern Dentistry 
cian for life insurance. The phy- 
sician examines and measures 
everything else but passes up the 
teeth, when the teeth have as 
much to do with the longevity of 
the race as other parts that are 
examined have. 
In the light of modern knowl- 
edge on this subject it becomes a 
necessity to place these facilities 
for tooth care before all who 
have not been warned or advised 
how much they can do for them- 
selves by seeing their dentist. 
As the corporation is interested 
in the health of its operatives it 
is ready, naturally, learning as 
they have of this subject, for an 
adoption of another efficiency 
plan. It is with this truth guid- 
ing the pen that these pamphlets 
have been written. 
48 Modem Dentistry 
Public institutions, where the 
inmates live from year to year, 
should all have dentists and run 
a Zero System for the inmates, 
for otherwise the tooth decay is 
considerable and the inmates in 
such, as insane asylums, have 
little or no inclination to volun- 
tarily go to a dentist. It is al- 
most as bad for people having 
volition not to use it. This is 
where the corporation dentist be- 
comes a director of tooth care by 
suggestion. 
If of our own volition we go 
periodically, say two times a 
year, to our family dentist, we 
are then following preventative 
dentistry and the Zero System. 
It is for the thousands who do 
not yet understand the benefits 
they will derive from good den- 
tistry that institutional and cor- 
49 Modern Dentistry 
poration system dentistry is ad- 
vocated. With the corporation 
it becomes an efficiency proposi- 
tion inasmuch as the better the 
nerve force, the fewer hours lost 
from industry, the more stable 
strength of operatives, the better 
it is for both employe and em- 
ployer. The benefits are mutual. 
The pride of the wide awake cor- 
poration is to be conscious that 
it is operating along lines of 
modern enlightenment for the 
best interest of its products, its 
success and the people whose la- 
bor is contributory thereto. This 
stimulates a pride in the person- 
nel of the corporation, executives 
and operatives alike, and per- 
mits an easy adoption of any 
system of improvement when the 
obvious advantages are thor- 
oughly understood. 
50 Modern Dentistry 
It is with the idea of calling 
attention to human benefits of 
preventative dentistry that its 
advantages to industry have been 
pointed out. It is to call atten- 
tion to the advantages to indus- 
try that we have pointed out 
the human benefits of preventa- 
tive dentistry. 
51 REASONS FOR CORPORA- 
TION DENTISTRY 
Not until the war was declared 
against the Central Powers and 
the enlistment of our United 
States Army to co-operate with 
the allies started, was the inti- 
mate relationship between tooth 
health and human efficiency 
given popular emphasis. This 
fact has been well known, how- 
ever, by the American Dental 
Profession, as it is one of the 
salient and definitely demon- 
strated facts evolved from ex- 
perience in dental practice over 
the last fifty years. 
One of the requirements of the 
army and navy recruit is that 
the teeth should be in good con- 
dition. In order that all appli- 
cants for military and naval 
52 Modern Dentistry 
positions could speedily qualify 
with good teeth the dentists of 
the United States formed the 
Preparedness League of Ameri- 
can Dentists, the object of the 
League being to do all dentistry 
without charge for bona fide re- 
cruits so that they can pass 
dental requirements. In every 
city and town this has been done 
and is still being done by the 
dentists. The object of bring- 
ing all teeth up to normal is 
that with tooth health the 
general health can be brought 
up to normal and kept so by 
periodical prophylaxis. 
Prophylaxis means detection 
of decay. As decay is con- 
stantly starting in spite of all 
personal efforts to prevent it a 
periodical examination of the 
teeth is necessary to catch the 
53 Modern Dentistry 
decay before it goes very far 
and does much damage to a 
tooth. People generally believe 
they are doing their duty if they 
go to their dentist as soon as a 
tooth aches, but then it is too 
late. An aching tooth is indica- 
tion that the tooth is very much 
decayed and possibly will be 
lost, and not an indication that 
it is time to go to the dentist 
to have it saved. To prevent 
decay reaching the aching point 
periodical examination by a 
dentist is necessary. With the 
Army and Navy men after en- 
listment with good teeth they 
are kept so by the periodical 
prophylaxis by Army and Navy 
Dentists. Dentistry is an essen- 
tial profession and the dental 
manufacture and supply busi- 
ness is essential business. This 
54 Modern Dentistry 
brings care of the teeth promi- 
nently before the people as an 
important personal efficiency 
work. 
Business is constantly study- 
ing methods of efficiency and 
system. These two terms are 
intimately related. You can not 
get efficiency without system and 
system is no use without effi- 
ciency. It is for this reason 
that the Government in desiring 
to operate a system overlooks no 
essential aid to efficiency. 
Corporation management looks 
for these same points, efficiency 
to carry out a system and a 
system by which to obtain effi- 
ciency. These terms begin with 
individual efficiency and through 
system result in unit efficiency. 
Care of the details result in suc- 
cess of the whole. 
55 Modern Dentistry 
With the above preliminary 
understanding and knowledge of 
the relationship of tooth health 
to personal health it becomes as 
much the object of corporation 
management to direct the care 
of operatives' teeth as it be- 
comes necessary to install a new 
system of manufacture upon in- 
vention of new and labor saving 
devices or of new systems of 
accounting to supersede a sys- 
tem that has less advantages. 
Under war conditions with the 
lessening number of available 
operatives it becomes more than 
ever an important point to look 
to the personal efficiency and 
health of those who are to carry 
out the corporation system. 
Industrial Dentistry is strictly 
periodical prophylaxis and peri- 
odical examination of the teeth 
56 Modern Dentistry 
and recommending what neces- 
sary work that is found to be 
done by the family dentist. By 
this step the corporation assumes 
the directorship of the care of 
the teeth recommending through 
its corporation dentist the work 
necessary, and the care of the 
teeth is kept in good hands noth- 
ing more or less being recom- 
mended as necessary than what 
the competent dentist deems 
advisable. All decay is caught 
before it does any damage. 
There is no loss of time from 
work due to tooth ache, no ex- 
cuse for dental troubles or other 
maladies that are due to dental 
neglect. 
Many inspections of machin- 
ery and apparatus are carried 
on by factories periodically to 
prevent damage should some un- 
57 Modern Dentistry 
ascertained defect go undis- 
covered. Why not do the same 
with ourselves ? Those of us who 
do know about preventative 
dentistry do attend to this peri- 
odical dental examination by 
going ourselves to our dentist, 
but think of the vastly superior 
number of people who do not 
yet know about it. We need 
them for their work in their 
various trades and we need them 
ablebodied and efficient. To 
help them to do so is therefore 
an important feature of corpora- 
tion management. 
58 Modern Dentistry 
The following corporations are operating 
Dental Clinics along lines outlined in foregoing 
article: 
Almeda Co., The, Oakland, Cal. 
Amoskeag Mfg. Co., The, Manchester, N. H. 
Armour & Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Armstrong Cork Co., The, Pittsburg, Pa. 
Avery Co., The, Peoria, Ill. 
Babson's Statistical Organization, Wells- 
ley Hills, Mass. 
Bailey Co., The, Cleveland!, Ohio. 
Berkshire Knitting Mills, Reading, Pa. 
Bloomingdale Bros., New York, N. Y. 
Bousch & Lomb Co., The, Rochester, N. Y. 
Caulk, L. D. Co., The, Milford, Delaware. 
Chicago Telephone Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Cincinnati Milling Machine Co., Cincinnati, 
Ohio. 
Colgate & Co., Jersey City, N. J. 
Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., Colorado. 
Crane Co., The, Chicago, Ill. 
Dayton Electric Laboratories Co., Delco, 
Dayton, Ohio. 
Diamond Match Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Dress & Waist-Makers Union International 
Garment Workers, New York, N. Y. 
Eaton Co., T., Limited, Toronto, Canada. 
Emporium, The, San Francisco, Cal. 
59 Modern Dentistry 
Filent CO., Operative Association, Boston, 
Mass. 
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio. 
Florence Mfg. Co., Florence, Mass. 
Forbes Lithographic Co., Chelsea, Mass. 
Ford Motor Car Co., Detroit, Mich. 
Goodrich Co., B. F., Akron, Ohio. 
Hart, Schaffner & Marx, Chicago, Ill. 
Heinz Co., H. J., Pittsburg, Pa. 
Holmes Co., D. H., New Orleans, La. 
Hood Rubber Co., J., Watertown, Mass. 
Inland Steel CO., Indiana Harbor, Ind. 
International Harvester Co., The, McCor- 
mick, N. Y. 
International Harvester Co., The, Deering. 
Jones Store Co., Kansas City, Mo. 
Joseph & Feiss Co., Cleveland, Ohio. 
Kabo Corset Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Kimberly, Clark & Co., Neenah, Wis. 
Kolynos Co., New Haven, Conn. 
Larkin Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 
LeBlond, R. K., Machine Tool Co., The, Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio. . - r 
Lord & Taylob, New York, N. Y. , 
60 Modern Dentistry 
Macy Mutual Aid Association, New York, 
N. Y. 
McCreery, James, New York, N. Y. 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., New York, 
N. Y. 
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., McGregor, 
N. Y. 
Montgomery Ward Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Morris & Co., Chicago, III. 
National Cash Register Co., Dayton, Ohio. 
National Lamp Works, Akron, Ohio. 
National Lamp Works, Cleveland, Ohio. 
National Lamp Works, Youngstown, Ohio. 
New York Telephone Co., New York, N. Y. 
Pocohontas Coal Co., West Virginia. 
Schrader & Sons, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chicago, Ill. 
Tennessee Coal & Iron CO., Birmingham, Ala. 
Wanamaker, John, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Wanamaker Store, New York, N. Y. 
White Dental Mfg. Co., The S. S., Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 
61