SOLDIERS’ TEETH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24422, 7 October 1940, Page 6

SOLDIERS’ TEETH

FILLINGS AND EXTRACTIONS THOUSANDS OF OPERATIONS MINISTER’S TRIBUTE TO DENTISTS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. “To ensure that the members of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force before leaving for service overseas are rendered as physically fit as possible, it has been necessary to carry out a great amount of dental work." said the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, to-day, “ Since the outbreak of war nearly 21,000 men have been rendered dentally fit, and to achieve this excellent result it has been necessary to carrv out a total of 47.468 fillings and 25,095 extractions. In addition, much denture work has been required. The total number of full dentures made was 3603, and partial 1640, while over 4300 dentures have been remodelled and repaired.” The Minister said he considered this a very fine effort, reflecting great credit on the Director of Dental Services and those under his supervision and control. To them he expressed his warm appreciation. He was sure the work carried out so expeditiously and efficiently could have been completed only by sound organisation and the loyal co-operation of all the members o£ tJbe New Zealand Dental Corps, "During the first few months of the war civilian dental practitioners played an important part when they acted as dental members of the medical boards for the purpose of conducting the medical examination of recruits and in carrying out the initial dental treatment of approximately 7000 recruits. This entailed the inevitable dislocation of their private practice. but the work was carried out in a splendid spirit of co-operation and self-sacrifice by the civilian practitioners. resulting in additional dental treatment estimated at 18,000 fillings and 10,000 extractions.”