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number that has yet been enrolled in one year. In. 1937, however, arrangements have been made for seventy to be entered for training. There has been no final examination during the period under review, because, owing to the delay in the appointment of the present senior division of student dental nurses, they will not have completed their training before August, 1937. " I am pleased to be able to record the appointment of Mr. J. F. Fuller, 8.D.5., and Miss F. M. Tattersfield, 8.D.5., to the instructional staff, and of Miss C. Hooper, R.N., K.M., as Matron of the Wellington Clinic. Miss Tattersfield and Miss Hooper will take up duty shortly." Wellington Dental Clinic. Attendance and-Qpemtions. — Attendances recorded and operations performed at the Dental Clinic, Wellington, for the year ending 31st March, 1937, are shown below, the figures for 1935-36 being shown in parenthesis. Attendances. Fillings. Extractions. Other Operations. 23,588 15,748 1,444 17,569 (29,645) (20,790) (1,822) (17,485) The decrease in these figures is accounted for by the fact that the Wellington Clinic was closed to patients for practically three months on account of the epidemic of infantile paralysis. Total attendances recorded and operations performed since the opening of the Wellington Clinic to 31st March, 1.937, are— Attendances. Fillings. Extractions. Other Operations. 452,558 202,060 69,373 248,829 Annual Registration Fees. —Registrations of patients during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1937, totalled 2,060, compared with 2,633 for the previous year. Exemption from payment of the annual registration fee was granted in 297 cases. Waiting List. —At the date of the last annual report the number of patients awaiting admission to the Wellington Dental Clinic was 3,526. Of this number, 779 have been called up for treatment during the year. On the other hand, 651 names have been added, making a total number of 3,398 awaiting treatment as at the 31st March, 1937. It is expected that this list will be reduced very considerably during the next twelve months. Hostel fob Student Dental Nubses. Since the early years of the training-school, the Department has interested, itself in the livingconditions of the student dental nurses in Wellington. For a number of years nurses were permitted, to live only in lodgings that had been approved by the Department. These were inspected at intervals by departmental officers. While this was undoubtedly a move in the right direction, the system was not altogether satisfactory. Therefore, when in 1932 the Council of the Society of Friends offered to place their fine hostel in Kelburn at the disposal of the Department, the offer was willingly accepted. A satisfactory arrangement was arrived at, whereby the society continued to conduct the hostel as a private venture, and the Department undertook that a certain minimum number of dental nurses would be in residence each year. There is close and pleasant co-operation between the hostel authorities and the Department, and the arrangement, which took effect at the beginning of 1933, has proved very satisfactory. Approximately forty dental nurses live at this hostel. Early in 1936 the appointment of an increased number of student dental nurses necessitated the finding of additional hostel accommodation. The Department was able to enter into an arrangement with Miss M. E. Gould similar to that made with the Society of Friends. Miss Gould opened a hostel at 42 Tinakori Road, and approximately thirty dental nurses have been accommodated there. Unfortunately this arrangement terminated at the end of the year under review. It therefore became necessary for the Department to make fresh arrangements for the accommodation of these nurses, and also to provide for a still further increase in the number of trainees. The Department then decided to conduct its own hostel, and to this end it acquired the lease of the Mansions Private Hotel, Ghuznee Street, Wellington, where fifty-six nurses-will be accommodated under Miss E. Pengelly, R.R.C., as Matron. This arrangement takes effect as from the Ist April, .1.937. , Dental Scjkvey of Maobi Childben. In May, 1936, the Director, accompanied by Dr. R. M. S. Taylor, of the instructional staff, visited. Maungapohatu, in the Urewera country, and made a study of the dental condition of the Maoris there, in the hope that in this isolated mountain village a condition would be found that would approximate to that of the ancient Maori, who was renowned for the perfection of his teeth. While the results in this respect were disappointing, some interesting material was obtained. An account of the investigation is included as an appendix to this report. Dental Health Education. The importance of constant activity in connection with dental health education continues to be kept before the staff, and the results during the past year have been encouraging, in that the number of talks and addresses shows a still further increase to 986, as against 742 in the previous year, and 425 in the year before that. The figure 986 represents talks, addresses, competitions, and other activities over and above the routine chair-side talks and distribution of educational leaflets. To be fully effective, constant reiteration and continuous effort are necessary. Despite the handicap of shortage of staff and its attendant disabilities, it is obvious that many of the dental nurses have devoted much time and thought to this work.

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