DENTAL SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 76, 26 September 1941, Page 4

DENTAL SERVICE

POSITION AT HOSPITAL

BOOKINGS FOR NEXT YEAR

MEANS TEST FACTOR

Shortage in the dental staff of

the Wellington Public Hospital has

resulted in an accumulation of ' work, and at present bookings are

being made, for treatment other

than dentures, for the middle of January of next year. This informa-

tion was disclosed in a report hefore the Hospital Board test evening, and the committee making the

report said that if the board were of the opinion that some restriction should be made in the number of persons treated the only method to achieve that purpose would be the fixing of a financial barrier. This

aspect of the question was referred to the policy and finance committee.

The report, which was from the fees committee, said that when patients applied in Wellington for an "impression" appointment for denture purposes, they were required to wait, on an average, fourteen days. That did not apply to tuberculosis patients awaiting admission to one or other of the sanatoria, or inpatients whose recovery was being retarded through lack of dentures From the date the first impression was taken until the finished article was handed over, there was, ori an average. a wait of six weeks.

A list had been prepared showing the number of patients awaiting dentures, and' that contained some 246 names, requiring some 399 dentures, an upper and a lower denture being counted as two. As the present mechanical staff could do, on an average, 16 dentures daily or 80 dentures per working week. it would take approximately five weeks to complete the list.

LARGE WAITING LIST.

In dental work, other than dentures, the Wellington office was booking at the present time for the middle of January, 1942, while the Hutt office was booking up one month in advance. At the Hutt office an examination was given to ascertain the work to be done, and that information, together with the number of appointments required, was scheduled oh a waiting list. Patients examined from June 17, 1941, onwards, would be receiving appointments from October 9 onwards. The waiting list contained some. 325 names, requiring more than 2000* treatments. If the Lower Hutt office were to Shut down on new applications, the dental officers there would have four and a half months' continuous work.

Cases which, in the opinion of the dental surgeons, required urgent treatment received such treatment within a month, or earlier if necessity demanded. That method resulted in those who got. tired of waiting, and who could afford to go elsewhere, making arrangements with private dentists. Recent discussions by the board had indicated concern as to the amount of dental fees outstanding, continued the report. An analysis of the comparative figures for the last five years showed that the value of the. work done had increased 83 per cent.; the value 6t the wofk written off had hv creased 27 per cent.; collections had increased 723 per cent.; the percentage of fees collected had increased from 16 to 63; and the proportion of fees outstanding to fees receivable had remained stationary. It was interesting to note that approximately 56 per cent, of all collections was from dentures supplied

ABILITY TO PAY

Members were concerned —and rightly so —that the dental department of the Wellington Hospital treated, first, those members Of the community who, for various reasons, were unable to pay a private practitioner for dental work, and second, where possible; those who were in better circumstances.

Under the present system, each person, whether rich or poor, had to come for examination on one of the three mornings set aside for examination by the senior dental surgeon. Accompanying the senior dental surgeon was the senior dental clerk, who noted the amount of work to be done and gave the patient an approximate estimate of the cost. Any person who was not prepared to go through that procedure must attend a private dental surgeon. Because many people disliked standing in a queue, they preferred to attend a private dentist. The result was that the number of persons attending the department was limited. Treatment could not be expedited at present, because the department was three surgeons short and another was leaving soon. As it was not anticipated that dental treatment would be provided for under the Social Security benefits for some considerable time, and as afl assurance was given by the senior dental surgeon that preferential treatment was not given to those able to pay private dentists, it was recommended that no change be made in the present method of operation. * Should, however, the board be of opinion that some restriction be made in the number treated, that could be achieved only by one method—the fixing of a financial barrier.

TREATMENT FOR NOTHING.

Mrs. S. E. Blake said that persons well able tc pay were going to the hospital for their' dentures without dny intention of paying for them. That should be stopped, and poor, people given a chance. The hospital was too free with its dental department, arid too much was being obtained for nothing. Mr. H. F. Toogood said that dental treatment was being given universally, instead of to those who could not pay for it. The clause referring to the fixing, of a financial barrier should be sent to the appropriate committee for consideration.

Mr. J. C. Crawford questioned tne legality of the "barrier." Under the present doctrine of the Government everyone, he said, was entitled to treatment, whether he was wealthy or poor.

Gn the motion of Mr. Toogood the "barrier" clause was referred to the policy and finance committee.

lost as other than a temporary lull in the campaign, and let us not forget that a decline in losses does not mean an increase in shipping. It means only that our problems are

not_still further aggravated.

"It will be a very long time before shipbuilding yards can replace 'ivhat we have already lost. But while the decline in losses is a momentous and most encouraging development, new and heavy demands are being made upon shipping for supplies for our forces in the Middle East and now for our gallant Russian allies.

"The cutting down of imports means, of course, not only that, in regard to consumer goods, people will have to go without things to which they have become accustomed, but also that, in so far as there is a reduction in the imports of raw materials, industries here may find that production is affected, with consequent reaction on employment. I realise that in a small country such as New Zealand the consequential adiustment involved may be more difficult than in the United Kingdom because of the fewer opportunities for diversion of labour and plant; but these are problems which all countries have had to face, and I am con^ fidenf that here in New Zealand they can and will be solved."