tt.—3l.

New Treatment Centres. At 31st March, 1940, arrangements were well in hand for the establishment of school dental clinics at 42 new centres, and for the reinforcing of the staff at eight of the existing centres in order to enable extension to additional schools to be carried out. These centres are shown hereunder :— (1) New Centres.—Akaroa ; Boulcott, Lower Hutt; Dominion Road, Auckland; Elmwood ; Frankton ; Hamilton West; High Street, Dunedin ; Hikurangi: Invercargill South ; Kaeo ; Kaikorai; Kaikohe ; Kawhia ; Kaitaia ; Kerikeri; Kinohaku ; Kohimarama ; Lake Rotoiti; Maungaturoto ; Mangawai: Mangonui; Moana ; Newton Central ; Newton West; Omarumutu ; Otira ; Owairaka ; Paraparaumu ; Point Chevalier ; Raukokore ; Riccarton ; Reporoa ; Ruatahuna ; St. Andrews ; Te Kaha ; Tokomaru Bay ; Timaru South ; Tuai ; Waipu ; Waiuku ; Whakatane. (2) Existing Centres to be reinforced. —Cambridge ; Matamata ; Otahuhu ; Otorohanga ; Pukekohe ; Rangiora ; Rcefton ; Tauranga. Training of Dental Nurses. Dr. J. B. Bibby, Principal of the Wellington Dental Clinic, reports as follows on the training of dental nurses and the work of the clinic : — " (1) Staff. —In addition to the Principal, the training staff consists of eight dental officers, a matron, and seven senior dental nurses. In view of the further increase in the number of student dental nurses it was necessary again to augment the staff of dental surgeon instructors by appointing further trained dental nurses in a temporary capacity as Dental Nurse Instructors. " (2) Student Denial Nurses (as at 31st March, 1940) :— " In second year of training — " First group (sixteenth draft) and second group (fifteenth draft) .. 44 " Second group (sixteenth draft) .. .. .. . . .. 40 " In first year of training— " First group (seventeenth draft).. .. .. .. .. 37 " Second group (seventeenth draft) .. .. .. .. 35 " The year has seen still further increases in the number of student dental nurses. Of the total number of 75 appointed in 1939, 39 commenced training in April and the second group of 36 took up duty in October. The total number of nurses now in training is 156. " (3) Annexe. —As was indicated last year, to get more efficient working an endeavour has been made to station certain members of the staff permanently at the annexe, and certain sections of the training of both first- and second-year students are still being concentrated upon in this building. The loss of time by the instructional staff in transit between the two institutions will become more marked when the Whitmore Street clinic is transferred to the new building in Willis Street, and it may become necessary to reorganize the disposition of the staff and limit training in the annexe to the senior classes oniy. " (4) Examinations. —(a) It was necessary to hold two final examinations during the year. The first one in September, 1939, was for the second group of the fifteenth draft. Of the 30 candidates, 28 were successful in passing, and 2 were retained for a further six months' training. The second, final examination was held in March, 1940, for the first group of the sixteenth draft. All this group of 41 were successful in passing, and the majority are now in field clinics. " The external examiners on these two occasions were respectively Dr. W. S. Seed, of Christchurch (September, 1939), and Mr. A. IT. Weir, of Christchurch (March, 1940). " (b) Primary examinations were also held for the first and second groups of the seventeenth draft, the first being in September, 1939, and the second in March, 1940. The details are shown below : —

"The examiners were —First group : Dr. M. A. Champtaloup and Dr. S. L. Mulholland, second group : Dr. 8. L. Mulholland and Dr. F. Hirst. " (5) Course of Training.—The re-adjusted syllabus consequent upon the introduction of two drafts a year has been followed with minor variation, and reduction has been made in the length of the histology and the materia medica courses, whilst other subjects are also under review. " (6) Hostels for Student Dental Nurses.- The Department's hostel ' The Mansions,' Ghuznee Street, Wellington, has continued to function very satisfactorily under the control of Miss E. Pengelly. The Friends' Hostel under the control of Miss E. Searell is also giving good service, and the Department is again indebted to the Society of Friends for the continuance of the arrangement whereby student dental nurses are so well catered for. To meet the further increase in the number of student dental nurses it was found necessary to add an annexe to the recently acquired hostel in Hobson Street. Credit is again due to Miss Hooper, who supervised the whole of the renovations and furnishings of this building, and to Mrs. Wood, who is now in charge of the institution.

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- j Candidates. PassecL Failed ' j Kemarks. First group .. 37 37 Nil Second group 31 28 3 Three failed one paper; will sit a special examination in June.