Whangarei Schools' Dental Clinics Report Successful Year

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1939, Page 7

Whangarei Schools' Dental Clinics Report Successful Year

rpHE PERMANENT APPOINTMENT OF A SECOND DENTAL NURSE, AND, AS A CONSEQUENCE, THAT ARREARS OF TREATMENT HAD BEEN OVERTAKEN, AND THAT IT WAS NOW POSSIBLE TO RE-ADMIT UNDER-SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN TO TREATMENT, WERE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE NINTH ANNUAL REPORT, PRESENTED TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WHANGAREI SCHOOLS DENTAL CLINICS COMMITTEE, HELD IN MR. J. REID’S OFFICE.

The chairman of the committee, Mr M. W. Porter, presided over Messrs R. W. Parker, J. Reid, L. J. Brake, H. Wilson, and W. H. Robinson (bon. secretary). An apology for unavoidable absence was received from Mr C. V. Stringer.

Annual Report And Balance-Sheet. O The ninth annual report and balance sheet was as follows: It is very pleasing to record that, as a result of the permanent appoint- * ment of a second dental nurse, the 1 treatment of our school children is now I firmly established on a six-monthly 1 basis. Also, that as a consequence of 1 this happy result it is now possible to extend the benefits of the scheme 1 to under-school-age children. J STATISTICS. ] Below is given in tabulated form the woi’k accomplished by our dental nurses during the year;

GENERAL. Mr F. B. Rice, the Senior Dental Officer, has paid several visits to the clinics during the year and has reported on the excellence of the work being done. The committee thanks him for his helpful co-operation. Special thanks are extended to the teaching staffs and school committees for their ever-ready co-operation, and thus making the work of the Dental Clinic Committee so smooth. COMMITTEE. The personnel of the committee during the year was: Messrs C. V. Stringer and H. Wilson (Whangarei School); R. W. Parker and L. J. Brake (Hora Hora School); M. W. Porter, chairman, and J. Reid (Whau Valley), and W. H. Robinson, honorary secretary-treasurer. Mr G. A. Bethell again kindly acted as auditor. Thanks To Nurses.

Mr Wilson said it was gratifying to again note the very small number of extractions. The parents had reason to be grateful to the dental nurses for their painstaking labours. On the motion of the chairman, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the dental nurses for their loyal and efficient services on behalf of the children. The motion was carried by acclamation. Officers Elected. Officers for the ensuing year are as follow: Chairman, Mr M. W. Porter (re-elected); hon. secretary-treasur-er, Mr W. H. Robinson (re-elected); emergency Committee, chairman, secretary and Messrs C. V. Stringer and R. W. Parker; hon. auditor, Mr G. A. Bethell (re-elected). It was decided that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr Bethell for his services over the past nine years. Services Appreciated BLK —&—o Mr Brake moved that the committee place on record its appreciation of the work of Mr Robinson as sec-retary-treasurer. Messrs Porter and Reid supported the motion, which was carried by acclamation. Nurse Transferred A letter was received from the Senior Dental Officer, Auckland, that Nurse M. I. Nixon had been transferred to Putaruru. Her successor is Nurse C. M. Young, who has taken over at the Hora Hora clinic.

The committee again draw the attention of parents to the almost negligible number of permanent teeth which were extracted as unsaveable. Of 641 extractions, only s’even were permanent teeth. The above table shows that only 10.5 teeth were extracted for every 100 fillings.

STAFF, Nurse J. S. Lemon, who had given five years of splendid service, was transferred to Ashburton West on July 5, 1938. Mrs M. A. McDonald, of Whangaroi, who came to the assistance of the service in September, 1937, when extra nurses were unavailable, left on May 6, 1933. The committee heartily thanks her for the very fine spirit shown, and for the efficiency of her work. Nurse B. V. Webber was appointed to replace Miss Lemon, and she has ably maintained the high standard of efficiency and understanding of the children which the committee and parents have come, perhaps unconsciously, to expect from that very fine band of young New Zealand women who comprise the Schools Dental Service. Nurse M. I. Nixon joined us on July 19, 1938, and she has loyally and skilfully carried out her duties. FINANCIAL. The items of the balance-sheet, duly audited by Mr. G. A. Bethell, are as follow —the figures in parentheses being for the previous year: Receipts.—Credit balance at 1/4/38, £6 19/11 (£6/12/3); Whangarei School, £33/6/- (£2l/18/1); Hora Hora School, £lB/6/9 (£ll/8/1); Whau Valley School, £l6/10/9 (£l2/14/8); P. 0.5.8. interest, 10/7 (6/9). Total, £75/14/- (£52/19/10). Expenditure. Department levies, £54/3/11 (£39/17/2); laundry, £9/4/1 i (£5/6/4); electric grill, £l/5/- ( —); | carrying, postages, etc., 17/6 (16/5). Balance at ‘3l/3/39, £lO/3/6 (£6 19/11). Total, £75/14/- (£52/19/10). The Special Account for subsidising under-school-age fees remains in credit at £B/19/-. The levy per child was 2/3; last year, 1/7. Since the committee took over control from the Whangarei Hospital Board, on Juno 1, 1930, the schools have contributed the sum of £415 17/11, made up as follows: Whangarei, £213/2/7; Hora Hora, £llO/3/7; Whau Valley, £92/11/9.

DENTAL SUB-BASES. The Senior Denial Officer, Mr F. B. Rice, suggested to the committee that, in view of the proposed extension and reorganisation of the School Dental Service in Northland, and with a View to further increasing the efficiency of the Whangarei, Whau Valley and Hora Hora sub-bases, it is essential that an effort be made in the near future to build standard clinics at each of these schools. This matter is presented for the consideration of the respective school committees.

First Permanent 1939 1938 Teeth. Teeth Total. Total .. 3454 2644 6098 .. .. 4502 634 7 641 .. .. 502 977 .. .. 709 •• 377 .. .. 106 •• 8093 .. .. 5819 Attendances of children 2759 .. .. 2291 On Clinic registers, November 30 . 728 .. .. 707