DENTAL CLINICS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 24, 27 July 1929, Page 10

DENTAL CLINICS

SCHOOL SERVICES

COMPLETE IN EIGHT YEARS

Additional accommodation for the training of school dental nurses and a substantial increase in tho number of trainees was pleaded for by Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) iv tho House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Sullivan said ho thought a great deal more could be done iv regard to such a vital service lhau was being dono at present. Greater provision should bo made in the matter of school dental clinics. Tho Minister must havo on his files about a hundred requests for the provision of dental scrvico facilities, and in many cases all that was asked was tho provision of a dental nurse. If the Health Department proceeded at the present rate of turning out trained dental nurses it would bo a generation before the demand was overtaken; in fact he thought calculation would reveal that it would never bo caught up, when allowance was made for the number of nurses who left the service. It was necessary to make provision for the training of a much larger number of dental nurses, and be urged the Minister of Finance to provide finance to enable the Minister of Health to make up tho deficiency in tho number of nurses. "1 appeal to the Government," said Mr. Sullivan, "not to starve the Department as tho previous Government did." Mr. Sullivan also referred to the idealism of the Minister of Health as expressed in recent speeches. A MATTER OF FINANCE. •'I don't apologise for discussing ideals in relation to the public services of tho Dominion," said the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. J. Stalhvortliy) iv replying. "With regard to tho development of the school •dental clinic service, he said ho much appreciated tho interest and co-operation that hud been evinced by members. Mr. Sullivan was in error in" saying that at the present rate of progress it would take a generation to overtake the demand for dental nurses. Even at tho present rate of progress the school dental service would be establish ed right throughout the Dominion in from six to eight years. Mr. J. Linklater (Manawatu): "Docs that include tho country as a whole?" Mr. Stallworthy: "Yes." Air. H. S. S. Kylo (Kiccaiton): "Does it includo private schools?" The Minister: "Yes." In from six to eight years, at the present rate of progress, tho dental service would be given to the whole of the children up to standard 4. To immediately apply the scrvieo to the whole of the Dominion would be too largo a programme, and he was advised by an expert of the dental division of tho Department that it would require tho assistance of the whole of the professional dental service of tho Dominion to give effect to it. It was not a question of lack of interest on the part of the . Department, but purely one of finance. There wen many things the Government would like to accomplish with a sweep of tho hand, but. it was impossible. So far as the financial resources of tho Dominion would permit, having regard to all other claims on tho Government, tho utmost speed would bo given to. tho development of the school dental service. NAVAL EXPENDITURE. Mr. n. S. S. Kyle (Riccarton) supported tho plea for a greater expenditure on dental clinics. Ho thought the Minister of Defence should let the House know : what ho intended to do in tho direction of cutting down naval expenditure. Many of the Dominions were reducing their expenditure in this connection, and if thero was to bo any saving in New Zealand the money might be put aside for the purpose of extend ing tho work of the dental clinics.