SCHOOL DENTISTRY.

Otaki Mail, 22 September 1922, Page 3

SCHOOL DENTISTRY.

TO BE EXTENDED. Mr Field (Otaki) has asked the Minister of Health, whether lie recognized the splendid work being performed, and the public spirit shown, by Mill. B. Mackenzie, dentist, Levin, in undertaking the care of the teeth of children in the Horowhenua district at a fee of ft per head per annum, the'number so treated being now upwards of five hundred; and whether the Department would not only endeavour to extend throughout the country districts of the Dominion the system so ably anil successfully inagurated bv Mr Mackenzie, but would co-operate with and as s ist him in the good work he was doing by saving him from monetary loss, aud supplying him, if required, with trained assistants' [Note.—lt is suggested that by adopting Mr Mackenzie’s system' the cost to the .State of the dental treatment of a very large number of children can be substantially reduced.] The Hon. Mr Parr (Minister of Health) replied. “1 fully recognize! the good work Mr Mackenzie is doing j amongst the school-children of the j Horowhenua district, and he is to be I much commended for it. The Govern- ' ment. would welcome the adoption ot ; such a system by other individual dentist.-. on tlieir own account. Air •Mac-

kenzie’s proposition is. however, a business one. The lee of £1 per year is the charge only in eases of children whose teeth are in a fairly good condition. Mr -Mackenzie, t am informed by the Department, charges his ordinary fees where there is anything necessary in the way of extensive treat-

ment; a. subsequent, fee of £1 per year covering any further treatment required. The Dtßital Division of the Health Department is concerned especially with those unable to pay dental fees, and is organizing a scheme tor the treatment of the school-children throughout the Dominion. It will require all the service available for its own purposes. The cost of adopting Mr Mackenzie's scheme would, moreover, be in excess of the scheme Hie Government has inaugurated, and with the present limited finances it is not possible to devote any funds to purposes over and above those now in hand. ’ ’