Register 

Registering with NZ On Screen means you can:

  • save favourites
  • comment on and discuss titles
  • join the conversations in the messageboard
  • receive updates via email about what's happening in the site – if you want to

 Register now

We won't share your data with anyone (see our Privacy Policy) and we won't spam you. It's that simple.

Close

You are here:

 Monkey Tale
 Snows of Aorangi
 Holiday for Susan
 Braindead
 The Murder House

Synopsis

A Friendly Career (or The Story of the Training and Life of the New Zealand School Dental Nurse) was a promotional film made by the National Film Unit for the Department of Health. The plot waltzes through the idyll of one doe-eyed careerist's sugar-coated journey to a respectable job in the 'murder house', caring for the teeth of the Dominion's children. Focusing on the hard work and 50s fun times of hostel life, with its friendships, matrons, tooth-pulling and en masse doing-of-the-hokey pokey, the end of this careerist road is pitched as one of great satisfaction.

Credits (2)

 Robert Lapresle

Robert Lapresle
Director

 Bert Bridgman

Bert Bridgman
Camera

See all credits ›

Post a comment

   
I am:
 

Please keep your comments relevant to this title. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Comments (1)

 mark collings

mark collings

Posted at 10.38PM - 15.08.2010

Where the hell are the Dental Nurse graduates from 1980---Christchurch NZ.......anyone know?????

View all 1 comments ›

Favourite:

You need to be logged in to add to your favourites.

Related Titles (5)

 The Murder House

The Murder House

Short Film, 1998 (Full Length)

Short film about dental clinic phobia

 Snows of Aorangi

Snows of Aorangi

Short Film, 1955 (Full Length)

Another NFU film from the 1950s

 Braindead

Braindead

Film, 1992 (Trailer)

Another take on 50s NZ life

 Holiday for Susan

Holiday for Susan

Short Film, 1962 (Full Length)

Shiny teeth feature aplenty in this contemporary tourism film

 Monkey Tale

Monkey Tale

Short Film, 1952 (Full Length)

Another 50s educational film

Collections.   See all collections ›  

Included in:

 National Film Unit Collection

National Film Unit Collection

Curated by NZ On Screen Team
Added 05 August 2010

Quotes

In a country as young and as under-populated as ours, children are our greatest asset, and anyone helping to care for them is performing the greatest service to the community. 

– From the film’s narration

Of the careers being made available to girls today, there is none more satisfying, more congenial, than that of the school dental nurse. 

– From the film’s narration

I found out being a school dental nurse is not just a career. It is a way of life. And a good one. 

– From the film