SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4939, 15 February 1926, Page 3

SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS.

THE DEPARTMENT’S POLICY. OUTLINE OF SCHEME. . (No. 1.) In view of the recent establishment of a school dental clinic at Ngatea and the mistaken impressions which have in .the pa&ti been conceived with regard to the objects and activities of the State School Dental Service, a short outline of the work, the policy followed in carrying this out, and some idea of the circumstances neces-sitating-its adoption in its present form will be of interest. Although it has been in operation since 1921 the scheme is yet in its initial istages, and it must be borne in mind that it will be some considerable time before a service capable of completely dealing with the enormous amount of dental disease prevalent can be built up. In the meantime, therefore, the department’s activities must remain limited in some directions, and certain restrictions, are unavoidable. The* existing policy was formulated only as the result of ■considerable experience and mature consideration, and has been adopted by the department as the best means of attaining its object in the shortest possible time. Many modificatinos, which may appear desirable a,re as yet impracticable, and it is necessary for the present to adhere strictly to .the policy laid down. The reasons for this will, it is hoped, be; sufficiently clear from the statements which follow. METHODS ARE PREVENTIVE. The enormous amount of dental disease prevalent among school children has made it necessary for .the department to formulate its, policy along preventive lines. With the small amount at present at its disposal, and •' the impossibility of increasing this with sufficient rapidity to cope witfh the ever-increasing amount of treatment required, an attempt to treat the whole of the school .children of all ages, throughout New Zealand would be entirely out of the question. Under .the, circums.ta.nces the department has decided to concentrate on , the children in the primer classes as being the best means of overtaking the work in the shortest time. Under’ this, scheme children are examined when they enter school, and parents are advised of any defect present. Where for any reason they do not desire to obtain treatment from a private practitioner the work will be undertaken at the school dental clinic, and the child is. then kept ( under observation by means of regular inspections. By this method any further defects appearing can be immediately detected and remedied, and thus extensive dental disease during .the latter yearjs of school life is effectually prevented. Such a plan, of course, means that .the older children must be passed over, but this is inevitable, as . under present circumstances an attempt to.treat .these would only result in the mouths of the younger children drifting, in the meantime, into the same lamentable state of decay as those of the elder children and no headway would be made. Great stress is placed upon the adoption of a proper diet and rational dietetic habits as a means of prevention, and there is no doubt that with the intelligent co-operation of parents and the public generally much can be done in reducing the amount of dental disease. CONCENTRATION. . Just as it is, necessary to concentrate upon the children entering school, so is it advisable that the operator should give undivided attention to one school, or a email group of schools, atj a time, until the initial treatment of prevention at these has been cleared up. In thia way the work .can be properly planned, the patients are readily available at any time, and proper provision can be made for their re-examination at] regular intervals. Especially is this necessary where there are a large number of schools in a district, in which case the work must be organised so that these can be treated and re-treated in proper rotation. CENTRALISATION. The department endeavours, where possible, to establish .the clinic in some suitable centre within easy reach of a number of surrounding schools where patients, can receive treatment at a central surgery.

Apart froitn the liability of damage to equipment .the plan of moving from one school to a.nbther is undesirable, as the time wasted in travelling, packing,' and unpacking eeriousily reduces the working time. It is for this reason that the department considers the purely travelling clinics unsatisfactory, as the time spent and expense involved in travelling is out of all proportion to the resultsi obtained.