SCHOOL DENTAL SYSTEM

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1929, Page 2

SCHOOL DENTAL SYSTEM

CHILDREN’S TEETH.

NEED FOR EARLIER ATTENTION.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 10,

Though the school dental system lias met with the appreciation of New Zealand parents, who arc constantly advocating its extension, there is a serious gap in the chain, and it is highly desirable that children should receive attention Pinch earlier than under present conditions, for they now come to the- school dental clinics with dental trouble well developed. This important aspect of the care of chicken's teeth has been receiving the personal attention of the Hon A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, who since the close of the session has Icon conferring with the Director of the Dental Division with a view to linking up some of the kindergartens of the Dominion with the school dental clinics. This will enable a closer survey to be made, of the dental condition of young children in the gap referred to, A foundation will be .laid for the formulation of plans for continuity of care of Plunket babies by closer co-ordination of the .antenatal and post-natal work of the Health Department and Plunket. Society with the medical and dental school services.

“In public health work,” remarked the Hon A. J. Stallworthy, “there am pears to be one period of a child’s life that so far does not come within the scope of any of the organisations engaged so usefully in promoting the health of children. This is the Period when children cease to be under the care of the Department’s ante-natal clinics or the Plunket Society, and,before they come under the notice of the medical and dental officers at State schools. That there is urgent need for bridging this gap is apparent in the shocking dental conditions disclosed in examination 'of children in the primer classes.. jf , •“The opinion 6f leading authorities is that these conditions are due to ifaplty diet and dietetic habits. ! ;'“Though there are good results from the educative ,work °f . the Health Department and other organisations there is obviously room for 'pressing home the need for a more rational diet and saner eating, habits for children. My Department has long been alive, to this necessity, hut the difficulty has been to get hold of the children until they reach school age and thus come directly under official Care. So far we have had to rely oil the willingness of parents to take advantage of the available facilities, but I regret to say 'that owing to .the apathy of the parents little .result has been obtained.” The ■ Minister indicated that attention, is really needed from the age of two, .and that recognising this at the very inception of the school dental Cjlinics. scheme, the Director had secured the permission of the Minister of Health of that time to divert part of the service for the express purpose of dealing with children from two years until school &ge, as he hoped thus to obtain data which would have been. valuable. :

To enlist the attention and help of parents, advertisements were published in the newspapers which willingly helped by publishing news articles urging parents to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire not only valuable advice, but of getting their children dentally cared for during that difficult and generally neglected period. “But the response to that appeal,” - concluded Mr Stallworthy, was extremely unsatisfactory, and the service had to be diverted back to the treatment of children at scnool. Now we are considering another effort which we hope will be aioie successful.”