DENTAL CLINIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 November 1924, Page 8

DENTAL CLINIC.

HOSPITAL BQARD SYMPATHETIC DETAILS REGARDING COST,

Some valuable information in connection with the establishment of a dental clinic came before the Hawera Hospital Board at its meeting on Monday.

The chairman. (Mr. F. GiUanders) rethat delegates'. .to- the recent Hospital - Board’s Conference had been shown over the . Wellington Jiospital’s dental clinic, where most important ■work was being done in connection with.the care of..children’s teetli. . Members; agreed that the need for . a dental clinic in Haweya was great,. Mr Campbell pointing out that to country children who could not get into town except oil,. .Saturday, afternoons, when the dentists’ rooms were closed, the proposal was of vital importance. The. chairman said he was pleased to sec that the • matter of a dental clinic for Hawera had been taken up. ■by other- persons in- 'the-' town, but he thought, it . was,. something that -sliould be kept in view ih connection v.ffth the hew hospital. Touching cn the cost of esfcablishnig a dental clinic in Hawera, the Director of the ..Division of Dental. Hygiene (Col. Hunter) wrote to, thef Board stating ..that? .it would all depend upon :tyliptjrer- ; i,fc w,ns decided to secure a qualified dental sur’gedir who would' carry- out general dental treatment for m and out-patients,at the hospital, or a dental nurse,'- whose services would be . available tonly, for the school, .chilr qren. In the case of a qualified .dental surgeon, the. surgical-- equipment required, wpuld- cost £l5O apart from -the cost of fitting Up a surgery at the hospital..:. It- w 7 as.. the practice of hospital boards to charge , for all dental treatment at hospital- rates, and thel upkeep expenses, cost of materials used,, etc, were defrayed by the fees collected;. Wmle, iH; was not expected that the dental' department of a hospital-should provide a source of income, it was: desirable that i t should bo as far as possible -setf-supportingy - The salary: of- a .qualified dental surgeon would, be £250 for the first and second yeart. and £3OO for the third and fourth .’rears.In the case of a dental nurse, the expense wpuld be confined to the fitting up of a room suitable for use as a suiy gery, and the -pro-vision of the dental equipment, surgical only, which would cost between £6O -or £7O. The salary of a dental nurse would Jbe £195 for the first year, rising by -annual increments of £lO to £225. Between 400 or •500 cases .could be attended to by a purse each year, this including 'patients; who -required’ -both iiiitial and recurrent, treatment. , ' :

The! letter .was received, and it was decided to ; keep the 'matter in view.