CHILDREN’S TEETH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 11

CHILDREN’S TEETH

INSPECTION ADVOCATED. DEPUTATION TO PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTER. -A deputation ’from the Dental Conference waited on the 'Minister for Public Health (Hon. R. H. Rhodes) yesterday with a request that the Government should institute a system of inspection of the teeth-of school children. Mr J. Rishwortn introduced the deputation. Mx T. A; Hunter (Dunedin) said they desired to give the. Minister a few hints if the Government thought it necessary to have a regular inspection made of the children's mouths. Tne conference thought the examinations could be mad** in conjunction with the medical inspection. This would obviate extra expense, as the four medical officers recently appointed, would bo able to do the' work. These officers might possibly take a short course at the Dunedin Dental School under Dr Pickerill. If inspection of the teeth, was to bo included in the duties of the medical officers it would be necessary to force the matter again under the notice of the pubDr -Pickerill (Dunedin) said the Dental Association had always recognised mat it was most important to inspect the teeth of school children, in order that some reliable statistics might he compiled to convince the public how necessary it was to take care cf the childien’s mouths. The difficulty in the past had been one of organisation and expense. It had always been said that dentists should bo appointed for the work, hut the association recognised that that would mean largo expense. They were now of the opinion that the inspection could be very well carried out by the medical officers who ha I been appointed for the schools. A ten days* or a fortnight’s course should be quite sufficient for the medical officers to acquire sufficient knowledge to enable them to examine months and record observations on special charts. Reliable statistics were needed for ascertaining the prevalence of dental caries. The charting system ho proposed was ciuite simple, ana the medical officers would be able to examine a child’s mouth in between two and a half and three minutes. He referred to the question of bacteriological research work in connection with the mouth. A party proposed to visit the Urewera country where the Maoris were in the mosx uncivilised state in the Dominion, with a view to making investigations to ascertain whether their mouths were free from certain organisms so prevalent amongst civilised people. No definite information had yet been obtained on the subject in any part of the world. If the Maoris they visited were not sufficiently uncivilised they proposed visiting some of the islands. An expedition would be expensive, and if it were necessary to go to the islands they would ask for a small Government grant. * In reply the Minister said the request in connection with the medical inspectors of schools was one the department could meet. He would recommend Cabinet to adopt the proposal. Later on it might be found necessary to have a more thorough inspection. They would have the sympathy or the department In regard to research work. In regard to a grant, that would b a matter for. consideration when the expedition was formed and they knew what su .i was needed. They could then come before the department again and the request would have due consideration.