DENTAL CARAVANS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 144, 8 September 1927, Page 18

DENTAL CARAVANS

REACHING BACK-BLOCKS DEPARTMENT NOT SATISFIED Dental treatment of backblock children by the use of dental caravans is not considered satisfactory by the Education Department. It advised the Auckland Education Board yesterday that the Director of Dental Hygiene had reported that the caravan in the Auckland district was “not satisfactory, for various reasons,” and it would be discontinued. Other means had not yet been devised, but as soon as the present difficulties of staff limitation could bfe overcome the Health Department hoped to consider methods of attending to country children. The chairman, Mr. A. Burns: They don't give the reasons against the caravans. It may be impossible to establish clinics in country districts, but travelling clinics would serve the purpose. “In our district the dental clinic system is not very satisfactory/’ declared Mr. J. D. McKenzie. “Girls with only a year’s expedience are drawing teeth and doing work which is bringing about more harm than good.” Mr. S. B. Simms said that sufficient qualified dentists could not be supplied. Mr. J. Bodcjie: I would not like the idea to get around that dental clinics are not a success. One at Te Kuiti was hailed with delig’ht, and has been a tremendous benefit. It was decided to ask the Director of Dental Hygiene for reasons why the dental caravan had been deemed unsatisfactory.