It  was  o  r  d  a  i  n  e  d  by
royal   decree,  April   24,
1890,  that  thenceforward  all  those  intend-
ing to  practice  dentistry  must  be  graduates
of  medicine.     Of  course,  this  did  not  affect
the  standing  of  those  who  were  practicing
dentistry  prior  to  that  date.
In  consequence  of  this  decree,  a  great
number  of  medical  men  took  up  the  dental
profession,  but  in  general  with  too  brief
and  quite  insufficient  preparation,  made
after  the  conclusion  of  their  medical
studies.  The  medical  course  in  Italy  cov-
ers a  period  of  six  years  and  is  usually
completed  at  about  the  age  of  25,  but  the
dental  specialty   is  not   included  therein.
The  decree  was  evidently  made  with  a
view  of  raising  the  standard  of  dentistry
in  Italy,  but  it  failed  altogether  to  attain
this  object,  for,  no  provision  having  been
made  for  creating  dental  schools,  the  only
effect  of  the  decree  was  to  produce,  beside
the  older  class  of  practitioners,  another
class,  less  efficient  than  the  former,  al-
though provided  with  the  medical  degree.
In  fact,  the  former  had  learned  the  dental
art,  in  general,  by  a  practical  career  ex-
tending over  many  years,  whilst  the  latter
had,  in  most  cases,  entered  the  dental  pro-
fession after  a  short  and  altogether  insuf-
ficient preparation.
These  unfavorable  conditions  still  per-
sist, in  great  part,  even  at  the  present  day.
