PATEA DENTAL CLINIC

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 9 March 1932, Page 4

PATEA DENTAL CLINIC

AN INTERESTING ADDRESS. Mr. Elliott, superintendent of the Taranaki-Wellington Dental District, delivered an interesting and instructive address in the Borough Council chambers on Monday night, some 20 people being present.

His Worship the Mayor, who presided, briefly introduced Mr. Elliott, and stated that no small amount of praise was due to Mr. Aker for his untiring efforts on .behalf of the dental clinic, and he naturally wished to sec it on a good sound footing before he left the district, which ho was doing shortly. His Worship stressed the point that the charge of 5s per child per annum was little enough, particularly in view of the great benefits that would accrue from the treatment at the clinic.

Mr. Aker expressed Jiis appreciation of the action of the superintendent, Mr. Elliott, in coming up from Wellington. He hoped that the people would respond to the call made upon them for the sake of the children, and would sec to it that the clinic was kept alive. Mr. Aker said about £9 was required to enable the committee to meet its obligations, and he felt sure this would be forthcoming. Mr. Elliott, who was received with applause, outlined the aims and working of his Department. He was sure that the result of the meeting would be a closer sympathy between the district and the Department. It was a little over 10 years ago that the school dental service was started, and they now had 70,000 children under treatment in 193 clinics, with 156 officers working in the field. The total children eligible for treatment went to shove that the system had readied its half-way house. Ha stressed the point that Patca was fortunate in having its clinic so early. Since the inception of the system over three million operations had been carried out by the dental nurses. The service, the speaker went on to* say, had never been a free service. .The Government supplied each nurse with equipment valued at £6O. Owing to the stringency of the times, the Government found it necessary to impose some charge for the dental nurse's services, and fixed this at £3O per annum. The Government also provided two-thirds of „thc cost of each building. The work was controlled professionally by the Health Department, apart from the Education Department, who, he was pleased to say, co-operated heartily with them. Patca had a B type clinic, which was satisfactory in every respect. In view of the fact that Mr. Aker was leaving, he thought it was only right that they should all understand what was required of the people in connection with the clinic. )With regard to the maintenance of clinics, the average cost was between £25 and £3O per annum. In addition, was the charge of £3O per annum. 'This showed that something in the neighbourhood of £6O per annum was required to maintain each clinic.

Mr. Elliott next, with the aid of a blackboard, explained the details in connection with the establishment of a clinic. The pupils, he explained, in each school were represented by the figures 12 3 4 5 6; with 4 dots before them. The fifth and sixth standards were first cut out, in order to> enable the system to be extended further in the country. The primers were the children who wore treated, and each child was required to bring a written consent from; its parent before being treated.

Mr. Elliott explained that the primer children were first attended to, and their teeth were eared for .until the child readme) the fourth standard. They could not, obviously, attend to children in the higher standards, as major operations would be required, and the nurses were not allowed by law to perform these. They, therefore, treated the primer children to enable them to have their teeth in proper Vreter, and thus prevented them getting into the state that required the major operations.

The average number of children whose teeth a nurse could care for was 600, hence the work of a nurse was centralised in such a way that no nurse had more children than she could look after. With regard to local administration, the clinic was governed by a committee with representatives of all the schools under treatment. It was advisable to have a quorum in the base town, as it was not pleasant for members to go 1 .a long distance on a cold winter’s night. The committee should consist of whole-souled enthusiasts, who were prepared to devote some time to a noble work. One schoolmaster recently said it was one of the best educational works in the country. He, the speaker, did not say that, but he would say that it was one of the most humanitarian works, as well as an example of practical Christianity.

With regard to the nominal charge, he thought it a very fair ami reasonable one, as he did not think a committee should go cap in hand begging for money. iThe charge gave them an opportunity 1 of putting the local finance on a sound and satisfactory footing. He did not think there would be any difficulty in raising the money required if the parents understood fully what was required of them. He would suggest that the most use be made of newspaper propaganda, which would tell the people why the charge of 5s per. head was raised. They could emphasise that the charge was in no sense payment for the work done, but a donation to the funds. The payment was an annual one, and a time limit was set for the raising of the funds. In the case of the very few children who do not require treatment, the charge might lie looked upon as an insurance premium guaranteeing that the children's teeth were all right. Tn the case of parents unable to pay the

charge, each case would bo investigated and decided upon its merits. All the communications between the committee and the parents should be by letter posted and not delivered. A time limit should be set for the payments. A slip should bo provided and attached to the consent form, tolling the parents what was required of them.

■Mr. Elliott stressed the point that the local administration should be [mt on a good sound basis for all times, particularly now Mr. Aker, who had carried out the lion’s share so far, was leaving the district. There were approximately some 200 children in the district under the nurse’s charge, and with a charge of 5s per head, £SO would be available annually. When the maximum number of children was reached', there would be no difficulty about finance. It had been said that when the charge was made clinics would'bc closed, but this had not been the the case. It was wonderful what people had done to keep the clinic. In one bush district a dental clinic association had been formed, the members of which had each pledged themselves to pay 5s per year towards the maintenance of the clinic. So far no clinic had been closed by the Government. Two clinics had been closed, one at Berosford Street, Auckland, and another at Wanganui, but these were closed through exceptional circumstances. Mr. Elliott concluded by stating that ho would be pleased to answer any questions.

In reply to Mr. Aker, Mr. Elliott said the value of the initial work dono for the children in Patea alone was in the neighbourhood of £855. In reply to Mr, Armstrong, Mr. Elliott said that the Department aimed at 50 per cent, prevention and to advise and instruct the parents with a view to eventually stamping out dental disease in the country. This could only be done by the co-operation of parents and teachers, and he was both amazed and delighted at the wonderful amount of co-operation that had been, shown. If there was co-operation between teachers and parents there should be little re-current disease when the child reached the fifth or sixth, standard. ■

In reply to another question, Mr. Elliott said it would obviously not be fair to treat the children of those who could pay but refused and then take money from others who paid willingly. ’ ■ ■

In reply to Mrs. L. Honeyfield, Mr. Elliott said the nurse had power to treat children under school age if she were able, that is to say, if she had not reached the maximum of pupils that she could treat.

In reply to Mr. Aker, Mr. Elliott said it was important that each child treated should keep its appointment with the nurse, otherwise the work would be disorganised. Hoticcs arc

sent by the nurse in the event of appointments not being kept; to the effect that treatment w r ill be terminated.

In reply to Mr. Hemingway, Mr. Elliott stated that Dr. Sampson HandIcy, an eminent authority on cancer, had stated that Hew Zealand’s effort in connection with the dental treatment of children was the most statesmanlike effort that had yet been made to prevent the spread of cancer. On tbo motion of Mr. Hemingway, seconded by Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Elliott was accorded a very hearty voto of thanks for coming along and delivering so instructive and interesting an address.

Mr. Elliott, in reply, said it was a great pleasure as well as his duty to come along and tell them all he could about the dental clinic system.

A very hearty vote of thanks to His Worship for presiding concluded the meeting.