CARE OF CHILDREN'S TEETH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16500, 28 March 1917, Page 8

CARE OF CHILDREN'S TEETH.

SCHEME FOR STATE AID. [by TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The Minister for Public Health, the Hon. G. W. Russell, to ( -day made a statement in connection with his proposals in regard to dental schools. He said he had formulated a scheme that would make effective the i system of the medical inspection of school children. Through the agency of this inspection many thousands of New Zealand parents had had their attention drawn to defects in their children, and the result of the treatment recommended had been to give the children a better chance of growing up in perfect health and physical development. The greatest defect among the school children had been in connection with their teeth, and the Education Department had been • helpless to remedy it, for the reason that the Minister for Education did not control any means of. dental treatment. " The position I am taking up," said the Minister, "is that if it is reported to - me that children suffering from dental defects requiring treatment, I am prepared to set up the necessary machinery for dealing with these cases. This will be done through the hospital boards, which constitute the executive side of the Public Health Department. If necessary, the money will be provided by subsidy on tho ordinary basis. I have named 75 per cent, -as the Government subsidy for treatment of venereal diseases, and I am prepared to do tho same in the case of dental work." l