Dental Clinics Not Closing, Says Minister

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1947, Page 5

Dental Clinics Not Closing, Says Minister

Press Association j

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dee. 19, School dental cJinies will not be closed because of 't'he outFi'ealy of ihfantile p'aralysis. » The JMinister of Health (Miss iToward) said yestefday 'that a sectioh of the public seemed to doubt tire wisdoni of keeping tlre clinics in operalion in view of "the fact "that the schoois iiad be'en closed. "The answer is of courSe," she said, "that school dental clinics are part oi ihe Dominion 's heal'th services, and as such their work assumes increasO'd importance at a time like the present." • It had long bfee'n T'eeo'e-hised by medical "authoritles tha-n -an unhealt'h } uiouth not only helped lo lower the re aistunce of the hody to disease, but also provided an enlrahce for infectio'h. Sound teelh and a heafthy rnouth wero therefore of special importance at present. "This i's not the time," Miss Howard said, " to deprive the public of the services that are available. at sclioo. dental clinics. MoreoveryUthe extent to which the clinics are hel-ng voluwtarily attcnded, despite the ■epid'emic, shows that parents apprcciate the faeilities and aie anxious to make use Of them. ' Miss -Howard added that precautions were being taken to'see th'at children attemhd hy appointment and did not congi-eg:tfe at the clinics, and, as a further precaution, extractions were not being undertaken except in cases of emergency. "Dental clinics will t-herefore remain in operation, " said tbe Minister, "until they close for the Christmas vacatioTi at the end of this week, and the presexu mteiitiOn is that they shall open agaiti and their services .be hvhilable to the puhlic on Januarv 19."