H.—3l.

Statistics. Operations performed in the field and in the training-school from Ist January to 31st December, 1937 :— Fillings — In permanent teeth .. .. .. .. .. 261,672 In deciduous teeth .. .. .. .. .. 273,769 535,441 Extractions — In permanent teeth .. .. .. .. 2,212 In deciduous teeth .. .. .. .. .66,620 68,832 Other operations .. .. .. .. .. . . 155,600 Total operations .. .. .. .. .. 759,873 The following figures illustrate the progress made during the last eight years : —

Total number of operations since the inception of the service, 6,724,221. Ratio op Extractions to Fillings. The number of teeth extracted as unsaveable as compared with the number of fillings performed shows a further decrease. The figure for the year under review is 12-9 extractions per 100 fillings. The steady decrease since the inception of the service is shown in the following table urn. d , , • Ratio : Extractions Hillings. Extractions. tt i 3 tviv ° per Hundred £ lllings. 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 L 927-28 .. .. .. .. 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 .. .. .. 382,289 74,633 19-5 L 933-34 .. .. .. .. 397,437 69,208 17-4 1934-35 .. .. .. .. 399,560 70,207* 17-5 L 935-36 .. .. .. .. 450,727 72,782 16-1 1936-37 .. .. .. 498,121 72,088 L 4-6 1937-38 .. .. 535,441 68,832 12-9 The above figures include both permanent and deciduous teeth. For permanent teeth alone, the ratio is 0-8 extractions per 100 fillings. Training op Dental Nurses. Mr. A. D. Brice, 8.D.5., who, in the absence on special duty of Dr. J. B. Bibby, is acting as Superintendent of the Wellington Dental Clinic and Training-school for Dental Nurses, reports as follows :— " Staff. —At the date of this report the staff of the training-school consists of seven dental surgeon instructors, the Matron, one Senior Dental Nurse, and three acting Senior Dental Nurses. The services of two of the dental surgeon instructors —Dr. R. M. S. Taylor and Mr. J. F. Fuller, B.D.S. —will shortly be lost, the former on transfer to take charge of a district, and the latter to enter private practice. In view of the increase in the number of student dental nurses it was necessary to augment the staff of dental surgeon instructors by appointing a number of trained dental nurses in the temporary capacity of Dental Nurse Instructors. These officers were appointed in groups of not more than three at any one time, and their services have been of the utmost value.

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Number of Schools Number of Children ! TVi+nl TtfnmK • f Year. under Systematic receiving Systematic ' n u ,. 01 ° Treatment. Treatment. ra lons * 1930 .. .. .. .. 930 67,652 463,204 1931 .. .. .. .. 1,118 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 89,803 725,069 1937 .. .. .. .. 1,568 89,483 759,873