SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27396, 8 July 1954, Page 6

SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE

SERIOUS DEFICIENCY SEEN

COMMITTEE REPORTS TO EDUCATION BOARD

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 7.

Shortage of staff is seriously affecting the efficiency of the;, school dental service, says the report of a special committee of the Auckland Education Board set up to examine the service in schools under its control. The report says that the service can fulfil its aims only by building up an adequate, trained staff to treat the lower ages, and contracting for the older ones with practising dentists. But in both directions trained staff have been inadequate to keep pace with the population increase and the high incidence of dental decay. “The dental department has two mobile clinics in North Auckland, and has acquired a third,” says the report. “But because of the extreme shortage of staff it is not possible to operate these, and at present they are 'immobile clinics.’

“Until the staffing position is very much better, there is no prospect of such a service being kept in full operation or extended.

“The dental service has had much the same experience as the board in obtaining trained staff. The two training centres at Auckland and Wellington are at full capacity. “Plans are now being prepared for a third training school at Christchurch.”

The .board adopted the report, Including recommendations for closer liaison between the dental service and the board, and for greater publicity to be given through the board’s newsletters to preventive measures based on good dental hygiene.