N.Z. Dental Help For Sierra Leone

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 14

N.Z. Dental Help For Sierra Leone

New Zealand could be of great help in the establishment of a school dental service in Sierra Leone, West Africa, said the country’s dental officer in charge of public health and school dental services (Dr. W. A. Samuels) in Christchurch yesterday.

Arrangements had been made for two young women to come to New Zealand from his country in August, he said. They would begin their training in September at the Wellington school for dental nurses.

“I am hoping it will be possible for New Zealand to train a number of girls so that a nucleus can be formed in Sierra Leone for training in our country,” Dr. Samuels said.

He has visited Palmerston North, Rotorua, Whangarei, and Wellington during his stay in New Zealand which was arranged under a Commonwealth aid to African countries programme. In Christchurch he has spent some time at the School for Dental Nurses. Dental Problems

Many people assume that African people had perfect teeth, but this was not so, Dr. Samuels said. The impact of European foods and customs had brought dental problems, and there was a

great need for public health education.

“Many people have not heard of cleaning teeth, and could not afford to buy a toothbrush anyway,” he said. “There are only 10 dental surgeons for a population of 2} million—about the same size as that of New Zealand. So it can be seen that a system based on school dental clinics such as you have here would be most useful,” he said.

Education starting with the children would be the most effective way of attacking public education. Dr. Samuels was enthusiastic about a scheme which would enable Sierra Leone eventually to train its own dental nurses and officers. “After the girls have been trained in New Zealand, say for three years, they will be given experience in the field, and then can teach others,” he said. “This is a scheme to help us help ourselves.”