DENTAL CLINICS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 5, 1 October 1929, Page 10

DENTAL CLINICS

EXTENSION OF SERVICE MORE NURSES NEXT YEAR An extension of the services of the school dental clinics is .at present being considered by the Minister of Health (Hon. A. J. Stallworthy), who stated yesterday that 39 more nurses would complete their training at Wellington early next year, and would be ready to take up duty in various centres as from April 1. There are at present 98 nurses, and a map in the Minister’s room shows that the clinics have been well distributed according to population. There are instances, however, where the number of children seeking attention is greater than can be handled by one nurse, and In such place double clinics may be established by the appointment of an extra nurse.

The dental clinic system is at present costing about £45,000 a year, a striking Illustration of the development of the service since its Inception a few years ago, and the Minister ventured a forecast that in the near future the expenditure might reach £lOO,OOO, so keen was the demand from various centres for the benefit of the service. “We want to help those centres willing to help themselves,” said the Minister, in indicating that districts wishing to take advantage of the Increased facilities to be made available next year should make prompt application, as the allocation of new nurses would be decided on In the very near future.