11.—31

The following figures illustrate the progress made during the last eleven years

Total number of operations since the inception of the Service, 9,518,184. Ratio of Extractions to Fillings. After showing a fractional increase last year, the ratio of extractions to fillings—i.e., of unsaveable to saveable teeth —shows a further reduction for the year under review. The ratio of 11-6 extractions per 100 fillings is the lowest yet recorded. The following table shows the ratio of extractions to fillings since the inception of the Service : — Fillings. Extractions. Rat 4° : ? X^. ons ° per Hundred killings 1921-22 .. .. .. .. 13,047 14,939 114-5 1922-23 .. .. .. .. 24,603 25,436 103-3 1923-24 .. .. .. .. 47,610 37,978 79-7 1924-25 .. .. .. .. 59,322 43,181 72-6 1925-26 .. .. .. .. 61,506 41,339 67-2 1926-27 .. .. .. .. 84,723 53,232 62-8 1927-28 .. .. .. .. 116,916 66,523 56-8 1928-29 .. .. .. .. 146,354 76,555 52-3 1929-30 .. .. .. .. 190,934 71,128 37-2 1930-31 .. .. .. .. 258,546 75,973 25-5 1931-32 .. .. .. .. 334,827 80,389 24-0 1932-33 .. .. .. .. 382,389 74,633 19-5 1933-34 .. .. .. .. 397,437 69,208 17-4 1934-35 .. .. .. .. 399,560 70,207 17-5 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 450,727 72,782 16-1 1936-37 .. .. .. .. 498,121 72,088 14-6 1937-38 .. .. .. .. 535,441 68,832 12-9 1938-39 .. .. .. .. 571,199 67,972 11-9 1939-40 .. .. .. .. 615,514 75,993 12-3 1940-41 .. .. .. .. 698,922 81,299 11-6 The above figures include both permanent and deciduous teeth. Por permanent teeth alone, the ratio is 0-97 extractions per 100 fillings. Training of Dental Nurses. The following are extracts from the report of the Principal of the Dominion Training-school for Dental Nurses (Dr. J. B. Bibby) : — " Opening of New Dominion Training-school. —The most notable event of the period under review, in fact the most notable event in the history of the Service, was the opening of the new Dominion Training-school and Wellington Dental Cliuic. " Preparation of sketch plans for the building had been commenced by the Public Works Department in 1935, but it was not until 1937 that the contractors, Messrs. Bodell and Co., began construction. On 30th April, 1938, the foundation-stone was laid by the late Prime Minister (Right Hon. M. J. Savage), and on the 14th May, 1940, the building was formally opened by Her Excellency Viscountess Gal way. " At this ceremony the Prime Minister and other speakers referred to the increased amenities to be offered to the public, and the likely extension of the Service and scope of treatment. Lack of equipment and shortage of staff, however, and the necessity of first organizing current work in the new building, have precluded any radical change in treatment during the past year. " The transfer from the old clinic to a building many times larger and covering five floors, and from simple equipment to complicated new equipment, in itself involved concerted effort on the part of every member of the staff and the co-operation of all students. It speaks much for all concerned that in less than three days the transfer of staff was effected, the opening ceremony observed, the

44

Number of Schools \ Number of Children T„t,i „i Year. under Systematic receiving Systematic , . .. Treatment. | Treatment. Uperations. 1930 .. .. .. .. 930 67,652 463,204 1931 .. .. .. .. 1,180 68,995 562,759 1932 .. .. .. .. 1,297 72,584 619,390 1933 .. .. .. .. 1,430 78,391 623,625 1934 .. .. .. .. 1,551 83,433 626,878 1935 .. .. .. .. 1,590 84,738 674,374 1936 .. .. 1,629 89,803 725,609 1937 .. .. .. .. 1,568 89,483 759,873 1938 .. , 1,620 94,261 826,598 1939 .. 1,749 101,701 912,370 1940 .. 1.881 | 112,090 1,054,995 I __