DENTAL CLINICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3869, 8 May 1928, Page 18

DENTAL CLINICS.

EXTENSION OF SCHEME. MR D. G. SULLIVAN’S SUGGESTION. CHRISTCHURCH, May 3. The difficulties which the Health Department has to face in endeavouring to meet the large number of applications that are being received for the establishment of dental clinics at schools were touched upon by Mr J. A. Young (Minis ter of Health), in replying to a deputation from the Phillipstown and Linwood School Committees this morning. The Minister said that the movement in regard to the dental treatment of school children was still practically in its infancy, and was more or less experimental. New Zealand had attempted to do more work in this connection than was being done in any other country in the world. By that he meant that the extent of the service was greater than in any other part of the world. They provided for the whole of the care of the teeth during the time that the child was under the control of the dental officers. We consider that work which is worth doing is worth doing well. That is.the principle that I have laid down,” the Minster added, “ and because the work is being done thoroughly and is com. plete it has been found that instead of a nurse being able to deal with 1000 children a year, as was originally intended, she can handle onlv 600 efficiently and well.”

The Minister went on to say that owing to the indifference of some parents in regard to the food they allowed their children to eat and lack of care of the mouth many of the children had to receive attention again earlier than should be the case. To overcome this difficulty the department was developing a system of instructive propaganda among the parents of the children, and he hoped that the parents would take heed and help the department in the matter. The Minister quoted figures t-o show the progress of the scheme, stating that the department was not a money-earning department, and the work cost money, so he could not progress as fast as he would like to. ” I am anxious to reach out and extend the service as much as possible, but when you realise that at present I have only a few more than 80 nurses you will see our difficulties.” Mr D. G. Sullivan. M.P., asked if the Minister had considered the possibility of developing a supplementary service by utilising some of the dentists in private practice. The Minister said he would give it consideration, but there were innumerable difficulties in the way. The class of work that the nurses did and the class that the average dentist did, were different in many respects, and he doubted if such a service would be practicable. Besides it would involve increased expenditure, possibly beyond the limit to which the Minister of Finance was prepared to go.