SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICES

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27961, 7 May 1956, Page 15

SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICES

N.Z. System “Best In World” PRAISE BY VISITOR FROM CEYLON Dr. S. S. P. de Jong de Silva, principal designate of the dental nurses’ training school near Colombo in Ceylon, is a keen admirer of New Zealand’s school dental service. “It is the best in the world and anybody who takes the trouble to examine it will say the same,” he said in Christchurch. There were school dental services in other forms in other parts of the world, said Dr. de Jong de Silva, “but there is one factor that cannot be overlooked—when you deal with little children they are far more amenable to treatment at the hands of women than at the hands of the gentlest of men and there are few gentle men. Therefore, the scheme has to be as success.” Dr. de Jong de Silva became interested in New Zealand's school dental service when he visited the Dominion in 1954 to attend a dental seminar. Then with the help of a senior dental officer he had an opportunity of looking at the service. .Subsequently he had a great number of publications on the service sent back to Ceylon. He said that he had not dreamed that so soon he would be the prospective head of the training school in Ceylon. Now in New Zealand under thP Colombo Plan for five months, Dr. de Jong de Silva is studying all aspects of the teaching side of the school dental service. When he returns to Ceylon he will eventually succeed Mr B. Rice, a New Zealander, who is at present in charge of the school. Those who were in a position to know in Ceylon, fully appreciated the help that New Zealand had given in establishing a school dental service in the island, he said. While he is in Christchurch for a week. Dr. de Jong de Silva will visit the new training school for dental nurses. Because the school had only recently started it was in the same position as those in Ceylon, he said