H.—3l.

SECTION IV,— STATISTICS. Operations performed in the field and in the training school from the Ist January to the 31st December, 1933 : — Fillings— In permanent teeth .. .. .. .. .. 160,137 In " first" teeth .. .. .. .. .. 237,300 397,437 Extractions — In permanent teeth . . . . . . . . .. 2,383 In " first" teeth .. .. .. .. .. 66,825 69,208 Other operations .. .. .. .. .. .. 156,980 Total operations .. . . .. . . .. 623,625 The following figures illustrate the progress of the Service during the last five years : —

Total operations since inception of service : 3,938,027. SECTION V.—TRAINING OF DENTAL NURSES. At the commencement of the year under review (Ist April, 1933) 42 probationer dental nurses were in training, and 8 who had recently completed their training were being retained as a reserve group. The latter were transferred early in the year to various stations in New Zealand. Of the 19 in their second year, all completed training, 7 of this number being transferred during the latter part of the year to various parts of the Dominion to staff School Dental Clinics ; 1 is absent on extended sick-leave, and 11 still remain in Wellington, carrying out the treatment of Wellington patients until this work is taken over by the present first-year trainees. Of the 23 in their first year, 22 have now passed into their second year of training, and 1 has retired. Up to the present no new probationer dental nurses have been appointed this year, but it is expected that a number of additional appointments will be made at an early date. Dr. Ada Paterson and Dr. F. S. Maclean were examiners for the primary examination (anatomy and physiology) held on the 26th and 27th September, 1933. Of the 22 candidates who presented for examination all were successful in passing. A special final examination held on the Ist and 3rd July, for those dental nurses in the senior division who did not sit the usual final examination in March, 1932, was conducted by Mr. Millen Paulin, 8.D.5., and the Superintendent of the training school. Of the four candidates sitting this examination all succeeded in passing. SECTION VI.—WELLINGTON DENTAL CLINIC. The Superintendent, Mr. J. B. Bibby, reports as follows :— Attendances and Operations. —Attendances and operations performed in the Dental Clinic, Wellington, for the year ended 31st March, 1934, are shown below, with 1932-33 figures in brackets :— Attendances. Fillings. Extractions. Other Operations. 35,430 28,703 2,530 18,833 (49,922) (31,539) (3,046) (27,546) Total attendances and operations performed since the opening of the Wellington Clinic to the 31st March, 1934, are :— Attendances. Fillings. Extractions. Other Operations. 369,760 250,383 64,407 194,729 Although the volume of work for the past year has shown a heavy decline, it is to be remembered that the average number of nurses operating during this period was only nineteen. These operators individually have carried out more work than in any previous year ; but this, of course, is accounted

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Number of Schools Number of Children f n , i AT t, c \t i 0 . . . o, , ,. lotal Number 01 Year. under systematic receiving Systematic ~ «/ O »/ f |»lAt>n rinriQ Treatment. Treatment. 1929 .. .. .. .. 775 62,100 370,,074 1930 .. .. .. .. 930 67,652 463,204 1931 .. .. .. .. 1,118 68,995 562,759 1932 .. .. .. .. 1,297 72,584 619,390 1933 .- .. .. .. j 1,430 78,391 623,625