THE TEETH OF THE POOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 136, 8 June 1907, Page 6

THE TEETH OF THE POOR.

DEPUTATION OF DENTISTS. The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister for Health, was waited uon yestevday, by a deputation representing the dentists of Auckland. Mr C. H. Poole, in introducing Messrs ;A. M. Carter, H. F. Bennett, Dr. Chatj field, and A. H. Elkin, said the desire of the members ot" the. profession was that there should be a dental department attached to the hospital, or else tbat there should be some deutal institution at which the poor could have attention paid ! to their teeth. Mf Carter said they were present on behalf of the Auckland Dental Association, which represented 40. or rather more, of the dentists practising in the city. The dentists felt that suitable provision should be made for the care of the teeth of the poor in the city. Dentists had done, and were still doing, a lot of gratuitous work for the poor in this respect, but they thought there should be some fixed provision. His own firm, for instance, did gratuitous work for the boys at the Costley Institution, and never a week passed without, their services being required. Last week there were no less than three eases of extraction with gas. Their Association had brought the matter before the Hospital aud Charitable Aid Board, but. to no purpose. There was an honorary dentist at the hospital, but his services were not for the use of the poor, nor was there any proper equipment at the hospital beyond a few forceps. If a dental department were started in connection with the hospital, members of their Association were willing to give honorary services, though it I might also be necessary to have a reguI lar dentist: employed, a young man at probably £ 200 to £ 250 a year. Mr. Bennett said every month thousands of teeth were extracted, which should have been saved if proper attention had been given to them. This wholesale slaughter of a- valuable, organ went on throughout the Colony, and 1 their aim wa< to stoD ii. On- of th:: first causes of disease was bad lecth. I School children's teeth, in particular, required careful attention. Dr. CiiatfielJ. said he. did a good deal of dental work -at the Orphans' Home, but all ho could do was to remove the | teeth, and yet .many of them could have i beeu saved. He had found a wonderful I improvement in the taeth after the use jot" the (ootlt brush became <_ neral. My. Elkin also spoke in support of the need of the teeth of the poor receiving attention. The. Minister said he auito realised the importance of the matter, and thought the time had arrived »"hen something should be done, more particularly when the dentists here, as in other place 3, offered gratuitous services for the poor. As far as he could influence the Hospital Boutel-. be would try lo get attention paid to this matter, but. of course, he. hail no direct control. The. Slate wou'd be eallcd upon to find half the, cost of such a dental department in connection I with any hospital, and he could not understand how any Board could hesitate about making the provision suggested by the Den tui Association, as the I amount involved was not a large one i when services were offered srratuitously. ;The Board should not hesitate supplying ;a. room and tbe necessary equipment. IHe trusted that one result of the deputation would bo to quicken _übll_ opinion, and secure the result at which the Association aimed.