THE DENTAL NURSES.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17122, 18 April 1921, Page 2

THE DENTAL NURSES.

THIRTY-FIVE IN TRAINING. The scheme tinder which dental nurses are to be trained to give the necessary "attention to the teeth 4 * of the school children has- been launched and the training of tho iirst batch of 35 women has boon commenced (says the Wellington' Vi-oet"). ot. tno ground floor -pi "(lie Hase Records building, s m Wiiitniore street, iu> owa allocated for tka me oi the Sciiojl Dental Service, ivhilo Dr. King (Director of Child Welfare) uni other Uorernment oncers Who have to deal with matters affecting the children of the country,/.will be given accommodation close by, so that' they, may work' in wjth cne another with more ease. ....

When applications were invited from those who wished to enter the' State Dental Ser vice 120 women applied. The most promising of thia number have been tclected. and the preliminary training'/was started this mdiith under Mr Dunn. The early part of the training is regarded as particularly important, and the nvrf.e3 will be given a thorougji foundation on which to build their future success. Chemistry and anatomy li.vapplicd to dentistry are at. •present occupying the attention of the class, and not a little part of tho early training will bo for the purpose of securing manual dexterity. Incidentally, on the assumption ■ that prevention is better than cure, each liurse will be mace a propagandist for dental hygiene. Tho room-to be used as the main clinic appears excellently adapted for its purpose—it is brightly 'lighted, sunny, "and well ventilated, and provides ample accommodation.- At present it is not fitted up, but all the material 13 ready for use when required. Practically everything needed i 3 being secured from the Defence Department, which still has the chairs, instruments, etc., used by the Dental Corps during the war. The service, therefore, will not! be an expensive one —a very important matter in these d>ys of financial stringency. A brief visit to the premises lyas made by the Minister of Education (tho Hon. C. J; Parr), the father of the scheme, on Thursday. Mr Parr inspected the : work already done, and tlierf went intd the class-room and addressed the probationers. He Eaid those before him were starting on one of the most important works ever undertaken in New" Zealand. The Dominion was the pioneer as far as the setting up of a State Dental Service for tho schools was concerned, and on tho women in training rested a grcat<tespohsibility. The scheme had not been undertaken hurriedly or without taking counsel with those qualified to give an opinion, and he trusted that the work of the nurses in the future would

bo such as to justify tho decision J||| the Minister to adopt it. But of .wfl moro importance than tho jufttificmlu||] of tho Minister; was the benefit WJjjpjpj|| tho nurses, after their training, ##|| bo able to givo .to tlio children country. It had been shown thtMßßf | oxls of every five children in 1 land required dental treatmont, ~ f ISA f the nurses would be privileged W t®lg| part in the task of eradicating great evil. It would bo a bif^ lie looked forward to tho timo irhwj the service would have 200 nurses at .work. There was hard t#l before thorn, but he was confld«at.pi® would be done,, and dono well. J