DENTAL CLINIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1941, Page 8

DENTAL CLINIC

NEWSYSTEM OF COLLECTING FEES CIRCULAR TO COMMITTEES. RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS. Following the adoption of the envelope system of collecting fees for the Masterton Denial Clinic, the committee has circularised all school committees associated with the Masterton Dental Clinic, giving an account of its first annual report of its activities, with a statement of receipts and expenditure and a budget for 1941. The annual report for the period from January 1 to December 31 states:—“As you are aware the committee did not assume office until middle October and to say the least, clinic matters were far from satisfactory. Generally no definite action appears to have been taken to bring home to parents their responsibility, not. only in regard to attendance and treatment at the clinic, but also to the payment of the annual subscription of 5s for each child, with the result that a deficit of subscriptions amounting to £127 17s 6d is shown in the year’s finances. An indication cf the position in so far as your school is concerned appears at the foot of the balance sheet and the committee makes the appeal that you will use every endeavour to collect, the amounts outstanding. For the ensuing year (1941) we are introducing a system of envelope collection. . . . WC feel that the work of the Masterton Dental Clinic is one that demands the full co-operation of parents, committeemen and the teaching staff and during our short time in office, indications are that such co-operation 'will be forthcoming and that the work of the clinic will be carried on successfully in the future."

An explanation of the committee’s action in adopting a new system of collection is given in the following words:- —

“Following recent correspondence from the committee in its efforts to place the clinic's affairs on a satisfactory basis and in particular its request that individual committees accept the responsibility for its own school's treatment, a scheme has now been approved under which each school is to be held responsible for its quota towards the necessary finance. I am directed to place before you a copy of the budget for 1941. From the figures therein it will be seen that, even with a 100 per cent collection of fees, a very small margin will be shown between receipts and expenditure. Although committees are called upon to undertake this responsibility it will be recognised that the success of the whole scheme and in fact the bulk! of the work will fall on the headmaster and his staff, or the sole teacher. However, with the sympathetic and helpful assistance of committeemen it is felt that, particularly in view.,of the interest awakened in parents, no great difficulty will be experienced in the collection of subscriptions. A supply of envelopes is forwarded. These are self explanatory, but it is suggested that a definite date for the 1941 subscription be stated, say June 30. If this suggestion were put into effect, besides the possibility of getting in the bulk of subscriptions instead of the job dragging out through the whole year, it would definitely place a responsibility on the parents and assist the scheme in future years. It is trusted that you will influence members to assist you to the best of their ability in making the Masterton Clinic 100 per cent efficient in its valuable work among the children.”

The budget for 1941 is:— Receipts: 1060 patients at ss, £265. Expenditure: Three nurses, £9O; rent, £94 IGs; cleaning. £2O; telephone. £8; gas and light, £l5; laundry, £2O; postages and stationery, £5; sundries. £10; total, £262 IGs.