DENTAL CLINICS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20498, 14 May 1938, Page 9

DENTAL CLINICS

HAMILTON COMMITTEE SHORTAGE OF NURBES DIFFICULTY OVER PAYING FEES ”1 reirret that the report of the workings of the clinics for the past year is not as satisfactory as usual,” said Mr H. M. Baker, chairman of the Hamilton Schools’ Dental Clinic Committee. at the annual meeting last evening. “The work fell a long way In arrears, firstly, owing to the shortage of dental nurses, and. secondly, because of the Infantile paralysis outbreak. “The re-admlssion of the four-year-olds and the adoption of a new policy by the Department, of accepting all children practically whether financial or not ,’’ continued Mr Baker, ‘‘threw a great deal more work on the clinics. We have been endeavouring to get more nurses in Hamilton and the Department did all they could to assist us, but in spite of their efforts part of the past year we had only three nurses, and then several relieving nurses and nurses under transfer. For the last few months we have had four nurses and the work Is now’ being brought up to date.

"The financial returns have not been as satisfactory as usual, but as these hinge on the patients able to be treated it was only to be expected that our revenue would drop.” said Mr Baker. With a falling revenue and expenditure going up the resulting loss was inevitable, he contended. The method of collecting fees had not been at all satisfactory. The committee had been, and still was. hammering at the Department to allow the nurses to collect the fees, but so far with no result. The new method of committees paying the fees twice a year to the secretary had not worked out well, as fees still straggled in and were not paid at all promptly. "I understand from the secretary that this year the position is no better,” stated the chairman. Importance of Treatment “We hope,” he continued, "to see all arrears of work overtaken in a few months and all revision work attended to. If this turns out to be correct our finances should be assured for the current year.” As usual, children In necessitous circumstances had been treated free upon a written request from parents, while the fee had been kept as low as possible, being in fact almost as low as in any clinic in New Zealand. "I would ask members to use tl clr best efforts to see that all children in their respective schools who are eligible for treatment become financial, and so receive Hie benefit of this most important service,” urged Mr Baker. “After what has been printed in the Press recently about the importance of school dental treatment and the need of it, there is no necessity for me to stress this point,” said Mr Baker, who added that the clinics had been kept in good repair. The secretary reported that 4428 operations had been carried out at. the Hamilton East clinic, while the attendances had totalled 1826, new patients 39, and revision patients 845. At the Whitiora clinic 4145 operations were performed and 2127 patients had attended. New patients numbered G 8 and revision patients 1332. The election of officers resulted: Chairman, Mr H. M. Baker; secretary, Mr H. W. Fisher; sub-committee, Messrs N.. Holden, Fisher, Baker and J. Graham. A vote of thanks was passed to headmasters and school staffs for their assistance in collecting fees, and to the nursing staff for the manner in which they had carried out their duties.