H.—3l.

Dr. Cook, in submitting his report, said : — " All the work entailed considerable travelling, necessitating very early morning starts and late home-comings; in fact, in many cases, work was continued as long as the light lasted, and even in some cases by electric torch. I am of the opinion that the experiment has been a great success, and has been greatly appreciated by the Maori . . . The effect of the extraction of decayed teeth and the improved oral conditions which have followed have been noted by all the nurses and by myself, and the improvement of health in individual cases has been marked." The Dental Council of New Zealand. The Dentists Act which was passed in October, 1936, came into force on the Ist June, 1937. This Act, which is entitled " An Act to make Better Provision for the Registration and Control of Dentists," provides for the establishment of a Dental Council which controls the Dentists Register, and which has certain disciplinary powers. As the Act provides for two members of the Dental Council to be elected by postal ballot, preliminary Regulations, known as the Dental Regulations, 1937, were prepared in order to provide the necessary machinery for the ballot, and they were gazetted on the the 29th April, 1937. The personnel of the Council for the first three years is as follows : — J. LI. Saunders, Esq., D.5.0., 8.D.5., Director, Division of Dental Hygiene, representing the Director-General of Health (Chairman). J. T. Cooper, Esq., appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Health. W. P. Somerville, Esq., appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Health. Professor R. Bevan Dodds, D.D.S. (N.Z.), a member of the Faculty of Dentistry in the University of Otago, appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Health. J. N. Rishworth, Esq., M.8.E., appointed upon election by postal vote of those dentists whose registered addresses are in the North Island. 0. Y. Davies, Esq., L.D.S. (Vie.), appointed upon election by postal vote of those dentists whose registered addresses are in the South Island. Professor C. E. Hercus, D.5.0., 0.8. E., M.D., 8.D.5., D.P.H., a member of the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Otago, appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Health. Dr. P. P. Lynch, M.D., nominated by the N.Z. Branch of the British Medical Association and appointed on the recommendation of the Minister of Health. Secretary to the Council: J. W. Buchanan, Esq. The inaugural meeting of the Council was held in Wellington on the 18th September, 1937. Research. The recently established Medical Research Council has decided to include in its activities an investigation into the incidence and cause of dental caries in this country. A Dental Committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Professor R. B. Dodds, Dean -of the Dental Faculty, University of Otago, to prepare a plan for the consideration of the Council. General. Attention has continued to be given to dental health education during the year, although the number of activities recorded is less than in the previous year —842 as against 986. This decrease is due chiefly to shortage of staff and the necessity for keeping treatment up to date. When this shortage has been overcome it is hoped to organize dental health activities on a definite basis throughout the School Dental Service. In conjunction with the Education Department, steps were taken during the year to define the position of officers of the School Dental Service in relation to head teachers of the schools at which they are stationed. As a result of these negotiations officers of the Dental Service have been accorded an official status in the school organization, and are now regarded as being " attached for special duty" to the staff of the school at which their clinic is situated. The Department desires once again to acknowledge the valuable co-operation of Dental Clinic Committees throughout the Dominion. The work that is carried on voluntarily bv the members of these Committees is invaluable in furthering the work of the School Dental Service. The Department also wishes to thank Education Boards and their staffs for their continued assistance, as well as teachers in all parts of New Zealand. To the staff of the Dental Division itself I wish to express my thanks for their loyal and efficient service during the past year. That all arrears of work are now within measurable distance of being completely overtaken is very gratifying evidence of the industry and application displayed by the field staff. On this occasion I would mention especially the work of the instructional staff of the training-school, upon whom during the past year the main burden of work has fallen in connection with the programme for the rapid expansion of the School Dental Service. J. Ll. Saunders, Director, Division of Dental Hygiene.

63