DENTAL BENEFITS

Grey River Argus, 30 April 1938, Page 7

DENTAL BENEFITS

HEALTH SCHEME Urgent N.Z S Necessity WELLINGTON, April 29. "The decision to include dental benefits in the scheme of National Health Insurance must be based on the recognition, first, of the almost universal existence of dental disease in New Zealand, and, secondly, of the close association existing between dental disease and general health,” said Mr J. L. Saunders. B.D.s Director of the Dental Division of the Department of Health, when giving evidence this afternoon before the Health Committee. Mr Saunders said that a comprehensive service would be costly, especially if it was intended to apply to the whole community. However, there was no reason why it. should not be commenced in a modest form, and gradually extended as the funds permitted- Any limfc tation should be in the direction of giving a complete service to a limited section of the community, rather than by giving, say, one particular form of treatment, or merely sporadic treatment, to a whole community. Witness set out three considerations under which dental benefits would be provided: (1) by whom; (2) on what terms; (3) administrative considerations. After outlining the operation of the school dental service, Mr Saunders continued: “If the full benefit of the expenditure on this service is to be obtained, then the dental benefits under the proposed national scheme should start at the point where the school scheme ceases. To commence with, the possible cost of a scheme operating up to the age, of twenty might be investigated. It is understood that at twenty-one persons become eligible for the basic wage, and it may be assumed that they are then in a reasonably favourable position to undertake full responsibility for their dental health.” Concerning the provision of artificial dentures under the scheme, Mr Saunders said they were desirable, and 'even necessary, under certain conditions. At the best, however, they formed but an imperfect substitute for natural organs.” It is nothing less than a tragedy in New Zealand that such a large proportion oi young adults sacrifice their teeth unnecessarily for artificial dentures, tn a belief that they are putting an end to all their dental troubles,” said witness. He added that it would be. in the interests of public health if provision of artificial dentures were not included as a benefit or, if it were that it was so regulated as to ensure that dentures were tp be available only where it could definitely be shown to be in the interests of a person’s health. Mr Saunders dealt at length with the prevention of dental disease. He recommended that some control should be exercised over the consumption of deleterious foodstuffs by children, at school, and over the sale of such commodities by shops in the vicinity of schools. The provision of milk for school children should be 1 valuable in combating dental decay, | but it would be unfortunate if the benefits that its consumption confer- ■ red were neutralised by these deleterious foodstuffs.