H.—3l

PART VIII.—DENTAL HYGIENE. I have the honour to submit the following report on the work of the Dental Division for the year ended 31st March, 1941. Once again, on account of war conditions, the report is being made as brief as possible, and records only the main features of the year's activities. The work of the Division has increased rapidly in recent years, and, in addition to the operation of the School Dental Service, there is increasing activity in other directions, especially in regard to the war section of the Department and in matters connected with dental legislation. Staff of Dental Division. On the 31st March, 1941, the professional staff of the Division, disposed as under, numbered 446 Of the 139 student dental nurses shown below, 28 had completed their training and were about to be transferred to districts, and a further 80 had been appointed for entry to the Dominion Training-school in 1941. Of this number, 40 were to commence training on Ist April (making the total strength at that date 486), and the remainder in October.

School Dental Service. Progress of Expansion Programme. In December, 1935, the Department was instructed to proceed with the expansion of the School Dental Service as rapidly as possible, in an endeavour to make it available to all the primary schools in the Dominion within five years, and at the beginning of 1936 plans were put in train with a view to carrying out this task by 1941. The Department has pressed on with the development of the Service, and a stage has now been reached where, with the establishment of a limited number of additional clinics, treatment can be made available to all primary schools. At the date of this report the minimum number of additional treatment centres required to achieve this purpose were — Auckland District .. .. 8 South Auckland District .. 17 (includes Native centres). Wellington District .. .. 2 and 1 sub-centre (inchides 1 Native centre). Canterbury District .. . . 3 Otago District .. 10 and 1 sub-centre. Total .. 40 and 3 sub-centres (including Native centres). These numbers represent centres where no action has been taken by the local people. Several centres where clinics are in view but are not yet established are not included,

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n 4 l Matron Senior School Student rur' 1 ' a if 11 Dental Dental Dental Total, Officers. Home Nurs NurBes . Nuraea . bisters. Director . . .. .. .. 1 .. . . .. .. 1 Principal Dental Officer .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 Districts —■ Senior dental officers .. .. .. 5 .. .. .. .. 5 Senior dental nurses .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. .. 4 School dental officers .. .. .. 4 .. .. .. .. 4 School dental nurses .. .. . . .. . . .. 262 .. 262 Dominion Training-school-Principal .. .. . . .. 1 .. . . . . .. 1 Senior dental officer .. . . .. 1 .. . . .. . . 1 Dental officer instructors .. .. 7 . . . . .. . . 7 Matron . . . . .. . . . . 1 . . . . . . 1 Assistant Matron . . . . .. . . . . 1 . . . . 1 Senior dental nurse instructors .. .. ., .. 6 . . .. 6 Home Sisters .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. .. 2 Assistant Home Sister .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 School dental nurses . . . . .. .. .. .. 6 . . 6 Student dental nurses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 139 139 Reserve list (extended leave) .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. 4 20 4 11 272 139 446* * Increased to 486 on the day following the period covered by this report.