SCHOOL DENTAL NURSES

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 7, 3 October 1941, Page 4

SCHOOL DENTAL NURSES

Graduates Receive Awards From Mrs. P. Fraser Thirty-five dental nurses, who for the past two years have been training at the Dental Clinic, Wellington, yesterday morning received their graduation medallions and certificates .from Mrs. P. Fraser, wife of the Prime Minister. The ceremony was held in the lecture hall of tlie clinic, those present with Mrs. Fraser being Miss M. I. Lambic, Director of the Nursing Division, Mr. J. L. Saunders. Director of the School Dental Service, and Mr. Hunter, founder and first director of the service. Dr. J. B. Bibby, principal of the training school, presided. Members of the stall’ were also present Except for a few who will remain in Wellington, the graduate nurses will shortly leave to undertake work in tlie field for which they have been trained and will each be in charge of a school dental clinic. Like previous graduates they will go to all parts of the Dominion, some to places they may never have seen and know very little about. Addressing the girls. Dr. Bibby said he appreciated the way they, as a class, had worked and how they had helped latterly to deal with the pressure ot work in the clinic. He pointed out how necessary it was for a nurse’s work to have quantity as well as quality, tor a slow nurse was of no use in the field. Each nurse was now one unit in the “health team” and was playing her part in bringing about the health ot the school child and therefore a healthier country. The idea of team work was also stressed by Miss Lambie. The dental nurses, she said, would now come in contact with the district health nurses and in outlying areas some girls would live with the health nurses. This would mean closer co-operation aud in all cases both units o£ the health service could help to foster the team spirit. Miss Lambie recalled the appalling state in which, as a health ollicer, she bad found school children’s teeth before the dental service began. Very oftcu teeth and throats were in a dreadful state and resistance was considerably lowered. Congratulations and sincere good wishes from the Prime Minister were conveyed to the nurses by Mrs. Fraser, who said how pleased she was that the social aspect of the work had been stressed by Dr. Bibby and Miss Lambie. As the years went by this phase would come more and more into prominence. She urged the girls always to give of. their best to the v oik, for to be told a job was well done was th'e greatest praise one could get. The service had had great results and would have still greater success, said its founder, Mr. Hunter, lhe ideal to keep in mind was that the need for the work should diminish as dental health education and correct diet ideas increased. Confidence in one’s work was based on knowledge and experience, Mr. Saunders said. Graduates had acquired these basic principles from their training to lit them for what lay ahead. There were close on 400 treatment centres now operating in New Zealand. . , Two graduate nurses presented sprays of flowers to Mrs. Fraser aud Miss Lambie. c ... Following is graduated nurses:—E. H. M. J. Henderson, (director’s prize). G. M. Berg (staft piize). 1. M. Allen, J. R. Barber, M. M- Kattson, li.’ Baughen, J. W. Blaikie, J. B. Cave, M H Dawson, H. 1. de liner, H. lv. Emanuel, N. C. Feary, E. M kreemau, v I <4ale J. C. Hauimond, N. E. HaJ?on B M Heah, H. M. Heward W E. Hodge, N. J. Hodges, J. M. B. Hughes, AV O. Juries, E. H. Kirby, B. M. Lam„, B M. Little, M. W. Lynch, O. E. M. Matthews, J. Bees, 0. 1. K‘ chau > ■Rnhprts S. <l. Southern, B. bpain, P. TaSor, H. J. We they, J. IL Wright.