SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25902, 7 September 1949, Page 4

SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE

< PRIVATE TREATMENTS EXTENDED EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR CLINICS “To cope with the large increase in the number of school children requiring dental treatment,” the Health Department has arranged for some standard classes to be transferred temporarily to private practitioners, who will give service under the Social Security scheme, and thus enable nurses in school dental clinics to concentrate on younger children. The Education Department has emphasised that this arrangement is temporary and made only to enable the regular six-monthly examination of all children to be continued. Headmasters have been instructed to give the fullest co-operation to the Health Department in this scheme and to allow pupils to visit private practitioners lor treatment during school hours where necessary. “It will be realised that all children cannot be treated after school hours,” says the Education Department. . The scheme would be welcomed m Canterbury and Westland, as in other parts of New Zealand, said Mr H. M. McCutcheon, principal dental officer in the district office of the Health Department, yesterday. The plat) really represented an extension of the dental benefits scheme already operating for senior classes in primary schools. At present pupils, generally above Standard 4 and under 16 years of age, were transferred from the school dental clinics to private practitioners contracting on tne benefits scheme. In Canterbury and Westland these numbered about 80. so there was no difficulty in securing treatment. Under the emergency scheme now announced, most pupils in Standard 4. and a fair number in Standard 3. would probably have private treatment. Parents would be advised of practitioners operating the scheme and there would be personal selection. Mr McCutcheon emphasised that this was a temporary measure to meet demands until sufficient additional dental nurses were trained.