Dentists to give library new fillings

Thursday, 22 May 2003

Adelaide dentists are hoping to raise money to improve a vital resource for dental and oral health workers in South Australia and to keep up to date with the latest dental research and techniques.

University libraries throughout the world are having to cut back the number of journals they receive because of increasing costs.

At the University of Adelaide's Barr Smith Library, the number of dental journals has dropped from 79 in 1995 to 33 in 2003.

Members of the dental profession, industry and academia in South Australia have now joined forces with the Barr Smith Library to boost the number of dental journals, and they're seeking help from the public to do so.

The new "Filling The Shelves Appeal" will be launched by University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor James McWha at the Barr Smith Library today (Thursday, May 22).

Money raised in the appeal will go towards improving the state of dental research and education in South Australia, says Dr Janet Fuss, Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide's Dental School.

"The ability of the Dental School to conduct research and to compete for research funding, as well as provide the latest information to students and practitioners, will be greatly enhanced by the addition of several journals that the Library cannot currently afford," Dr Fuss says.

"While dentists are used to dealing with fillings of a different kind, this time around we are aiming to 'fill the shelves' of the library, both in terms of hard copy material and online journals.

"To do that we will need to raise more than $100,000 for subscriptions, which will help us to add between eight and 12 important titles to our subscription list over the next 10 years."

Dr Fuss says the appeal is particularly aimed at members of the dental community, but the support of all members of the public will be welcome. "After all, it is the public who have the most to gain from improved research and teaching in dentistry," Dr Fuss says.

More information or appeal brochures can be obtained from the Dental School: (08) 8303 5256 or (08) 8303 5409.

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