Dentists as Missionaries by Abel L. Gregory, M. D.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 31, 1905

Dentists as Missionaries

By Abel L. Gregory, M. D.

We need more missionary workers in Brazil, and as experience is the best teacher, we will tell you a little of what ours has been. We find that with our dental knowledge we can help people and come in touch with them soon after entering a new place. Brazilians are notorious for having bad teeth, and American dentists are in good standing. The dental laws are not so stringent as the medical. In this State a dentist can register for seventy-five dollars. In the northern States the laws are more rigid. We could, at this writing, find places in this State for ten dentists. If they could speak German, it would help them very much, as there is a large German element, many of whom are in good financial condition. All the large cities have English-speaking people, most of whom are here for the sole purpose of making money, and as a rule they do.

Our dental work and our medical work are about equal; so if we had only the medical work, we would probably halve our sum. We are registered as doctors, which gives us the liberty to do dental work with no extra tax, which is quite an item in Brazil, where taxes are high.

If possible, every doctor should know dentistry, at least so we have found by experience. Any person desiring more particulars may address us at Taquary, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, S. A.

ABEL L. GREGORY, M. D.