SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26917, 18 December 1952, Page 3

SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS

CONCERN AT LIMITED SERVICE

The Canterbury Education Board is concerned about the restrictions on dental clinic service now available, and will urge the Health Department to take all possible measures to gain sufficient staff for all classes to be treated.

Mr J. P. Saunders called the action “precipitate” when he raised the matter yesterday morning and described the difficulties in West Coast schools. As there had been no Ministerial statement he presumed the change was made by some departmental officers “who were due for a rude shock,” he said.

“This is no new story,” said the chairman (Mr S. J. Irwin). The West Coast was lucky if direction of senior standards to private dentists had only just started. Mr A. Greenwood said that shortage of dental nurses was responsible. The Canterbury School Committees’ Association was concerned that preschool children should be admitted when senior pupils above standard two were excluded.

Disappointment would be aggravated by the fact that local people in many places contributed to the cost of dental clinics, Mr Irwin said.

It was once possible in the country for a whole class to go to a dental clinic in one day, said Mr G. Edgar. Now that visits to dentists were required. much time was wasted. Mr R. W. Sansom said he would not quarrel with the treatment of preschool children at an age when supervision was important. Had the Health Department considered training males to avoid the staff losses through marriage?

There were 41.000 to be handled in the board’s district alone, said Mr A. E. Lawrence. Was it reasonable to hope that all could receive attention at clinics in the present staff shortage? Even private dentists were booked up for months ahead.