BENEFITS OF DENTAL CLINIC SERVICE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 128, 16 June 1937, Page 7

BENEFITS OF DENTAL CLINIC SERVICE

Circular to be Distributed to Parents PAYMENT OF FEES Tbe view that circulars should be distributed setting out for the beneflt of parents the advantages that the di-ntal clinfc service oifered was put forward by membsrs at the aniiual ueetxng of the Hastings Dental Climc Committee, held in the Oentral School, hastings, last evening. Mr Graham McCormick presided over about 20 delegates representing the schools in the district. Officers for the coming year were elected and a small amount of general business was diseussed. A circular was received from the. Health Department giving power To the clinic to exclude from treatment children whose parents refused to co-oper-ate and so made continuity of treatment difficult by their neglect. It waa specially pointed out in the circular, however, that the department should be consulted in the matter. This seemed to be an easing-up on restrictiong, remarked Mr C. H. Bennett and it clipped the wings of the committee to a great extent. "Our winga have alreacly been clipped, you know," replied Mr McCormick. "I feel t^at this decision has been brought about largely by affairs here in Hastings." It did not mako any difference to the committee except that, perhaps, it clarified the matter, he added. Soveral members suggestcd the need for a pamphlet pointing out what services the clinic provided, ,but Mr McCormick expressed the view that as oniy a few would benefit it was hardly worth. the expense. Others present considered that such a circular would assist in bringing in tho fe6s. Mr Bennett mentioned that the Parkvale School Committee had diseussed tho question and favoured a pamphlet makjng known many aspoets of the service, the existence of which was poi fuljy realised. A supply should ba kept in stock and distributed every yoar to parents as a reminder of the benehts they derived from paying tho clinic fees. A resolution was carried recommending to the incoming committee that a pamphlet on the lines suggested should bo printed-' "Must Not be Formal" "We must not make it too formal," warued Mr Bennett. "Let it be a straight-out statement of the reaponsibilities of parents and the benefits the children derive. But why not lot the department do it?" he added as an afterlhouglit. "The department will simply tell us that they can run their part of the business and that we should be able to ruu ours, ' replied Mr McCormick. In addition to the pamphlets he suggested thie printing of cards pointing out the t'ees and other information, and it was deeided that this should .be made the gubject of a further recommendation to the incoming committee. • "It is, of course, a matter for each 8cliool committeo to decide at what qmpunt the fees should be fixed for its 0w» school," said Mr McCormick; Mr J. E. Hall: Does this mean that, oue school can fix its rate at 3/- whilo anotjier decides to charge 2/67 hlr McCormick: That is the positiou. M{* Hall: Well, I think it is very wrong. Th« fee should be fixed at the samp amount for every school. Mr McCormick: I* am afraid the matter is beyond our powers. When the election of officers was under consideration Mr McCormick intircated that he did not propose to aecept reelection. He fouhd that too much of his time was being taken up with such duties and he had already cut adrift from several organisations. Government Gontrol Foreshadowed Mr J. D. Donovan said that he thought it would be a great pity if the committee lost Mr McCormick, who was a young man and a capablo chair-' man. He had a long way to go yet before he should think of retiring. Mr Hall considered that Mr McCormick should allow himself to be persuaded to earry on for auother year. "I have been told" he said, "that the Go.vernment will probably disband all dental cominittees hefore long, its policy being to provide dental servicp free of charge. Mr McCormick will not, tberefore, have much to do at the end of about six months. In any case there is not a great deal foV our chairman to do." Similar views were expressed by other spe.'ilcers. "The school committees have just been shouldered with new responsibilities,'^ remarked Mr Bennett, "and there is a certain amount of misgiving about it. It is conscquently an adv&Hlage to have a chairman like the pvosent one to refer to when difficultios arise." "Is there anybody in the room who will take on my positionl" inquired Mr McCormick. Skouts of "No" greeted this question, qfter which Mr McCormick was quickly declared reelocted. Mr R. Tacon was re-elccted secerelar.y hud Mr V. L. Woslertnau was reelected audltor. Tlie committee, jn Ciosing the meeting, placcd on record xts apprecintion of the services oi' the offieers of tlie last year and of the noises. Work Handicapped. Entitely on account of the intaintile parhlysis epidemic, the work of the clinic, from both medical and iinancial points of view, has been hoavily handicapped, so that our casli rosources lmvc shrpnk by £60, and the jxurscs have had their entiro revision work tlirowu out of routine. Of course, had tlie epidemic not caused thc ciosing of tho clinic i'or tlie January-March quarter, we would have liad tho fees in hand before the qnd of March as usual. This ciosing of tho clinic has necessitated the nurses carrying over a vasi amount of their worlc, but they are overtaking their revisions and hope te resume normal running in Ihe ncar future. " Tlie cash reservcs built up ,in thc pnst had enabled the committee to 1

eome through the year finaneially with under 300 fees paid this year against 1400 last year, the report added. During the year Nurse McPhee had been transferred temporarily to another district, hcr place having been taken by Nurse McLaren. The department had also obtained the services of Mrs. Sheppard for a period to help with the congestion of work. "During the year the department siipplied electric motors for the clinic,. and it fell to our cost to install them. Tho worlc was perf ormed ■. satisf actorily by Loach and Pricc, Ltd. The installation of a new electric steriliser as against the old gas one which has been in operation since* the opening of the clinic is to be considered, and tlie coverings on the floor of the clinic, whieli are now somewhat delapidated, arc to be replaced. . Fee Collections. ■ ' "During tho year the committee, acting witliin its powers, and on departmental advice, deeided to change the manner of collecting fees, from local depots to a system of levy on each school committee. This was deeided upon on account of the trouble the committee had had in past by the number of fees that had to be refunded to parents of children who become incligiblo for treatment, and the lapsation of'payment of fees 'the clinic was cxpericncing from various sonrcest "The new system of levying school committees on their last year's clinic rill, plus new entrants3at the beginning of the schpol year, means t'-.at as soon as the sum levied is collectcd and paid, all tlie children of the school who are eligible for treatment at the clinic become financial, and any sum collected by a school committee in excess of the levy may be retained against next year's levy. Tliis system should enable the clinic to get into a thoroughly sound financial position, and perhaps allow a reduction ih fees. "Mogt school committees have taken up their responsibilities, but some have thought fit to refuso to do so. The new system has thrown much more work on tho sccretary, and I hope that delegates wijl ask their committees to help him by early payment of their levies. "Soipe of the lists levied on may be subject to adjustmept on account of transfers or other reasons, and this Will be done when the seeretary knows tlio exact position of each school."