DENTAL CARE FOR CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22443, 2 July 1938, Page 13

DENTAL CARE FOR CHILDREN

♦ STRONG PLEA MADE FOR EXTENSION

TECHNICAL COLLEGE BOARD

DISCUSSION

Strong advocacy of dental examination and care of children in the technical schools and of all post-primary schools was put forward by the chairman of the Technical College Board of Governors (Mr T. W. West) at a meeting of the board last evening. Mr West made his remarks on dental care after the board had carried a recommendation to the Health Department that there should be an annual medical inspection of all post-primary school children and especially technical school children, the recommendation having arisen out of a statement in the report of the principal (Dr. D. E. Hansen) that all the senior girls and a number of the first-year girls were being medically examined. Dr. Hansen stated that he should be glad if all the girls and boys could be examined at least once during their attendance at the college. Mr West said that the Minister for Health and Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) had indicated that he was looking forward to, the time when all the children would receive dental care. He knew that instructions had been given to the Director of Dental Hygiene to push the matter ahead, and it might not be many years before the treatment would be extended to all primary school children and the other schools as well.

“I am hopeful that as soon as the primary school children are fully dealt with, the treatment will be continued for post-primary pupils,” he said. “An examination at the college two or three years ago showed that 99 per cent, of the pupils suffered from defective teeth and that of .this 99 per cent. 95 per cent, suffered from defects in at least a quarter of their teeth. It shows the urgent necessity of treating the children throughout their school careers. To a very large extent the benefit of treatment is washed out by stopping after the fourth standard.”