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training school and dental clinic, which would be adequate to provide dental treatment for the hool children of the Wellington metropolitan area, and at the same time provide school dental nurses for the whole Dominion. This building is now approaching completion ' It was recognized however, that annual drafts of 50 entering training would not be sufficient to , the stag required within the time allotted., The instructional staff was therefore further ■memented and the training arrangements reorganized to permit of each annual draft being entered in two divisions at six-monthly intervals, instead of in one group By these means it has been possible t-n still further increase the number of entries to the training-school each year. Thus, following the 50 appointments in 1936, 70 were made in 1937, 77 in 1938, and a further 75 appointments have been lUad fitting that'acknowledgment should be made at this juncture of the manner in which the members of the instructional staff have responded to the unusual and sustained demands that have been made upon them in connection with these activities. It is satisfactory to note that the dental practitioners who have acted as external examiners in the final examination for school dental nurses have all expressed satisfaction in regard to the standard that is being maintained. While these arrangements for ensuring the necessary supply of trained dental nurses have been in nroeress the plans for extending the service in the field have received attention. A careful survey has been made covering the whole Dominion, with a view to determiningfa) Where treatment centres should be established ; and (6) How the smaller schools can best be grouped in order to be served by a school dental clinic. This survey is now complete, and maps have been prepared to show the proposed grouping of schools and the locations of future clinics. These dispositions form the basis of the organization on which the expansion of the school dental service is being carried out The second stage of the expansion programme, the expansion of the held organization, commenced during the year under review, the 1936 appointees having completed their training in 1938. Forty-eight dental nurses became available for the field in April, 1938, and they were allocated as under To open new clinics .. •• •• •• •• • ■ "ft To reinforce existing clinics with a view to extending to additional schools .. 14 To fill vacancies, and in reserve .. .. •• •• •• ..12 At the date of this report—3lst March, 1939—a further 28 dental nurses had recently completed their training, and arrangements had been completed to allocate them as under : To open clinics in new districts .. •• •• • • - U To reinforce existing clinics with a view to extending to additional schools .. 4: To fill vacancies, and in reserve . . .. • • • • • • . . 10 Thus good progress is being made with the second stage of the programme, and, provided local committees do their part and have clinics ready for occupation at the time required, there is every prospect that every primary school will be served by a school dental clinic not later than 1941. Staff of Dental Division. On the 31st March, 1939, the professional staff of the Division, disposed as under, numbered 369 Of the 138 student dental nurses shown below 28 had completed their training and were about to be transfered to Districts and a further 75 had been appointed for entry to the training-school during 1939.

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0 __ — — 1 —_ _ , , m ■ i Senior School Student Dental Trained Dental Dental Dental Tota]Officers. Nurses. y urses# Nurses. Nurses. Director • • ■ • • • • • | Principal Dental Officer .. •. • • ' Principal, Wellington Dental Clinic • • 1 Senior Dental Officers— (a) In districts .. • • • • * (b) In training-school .. • • • • 1 (c) Seconded to Medical Research Council 1 • ■ • • • • • • 1 Dental officers — (а) In districts . • • • • • 3 (б) In training-school .. • ■ • • Trained nurses — (а) Matron, Wellington Dental Clinic .. .. 1 • • • • ■ • * (б) Home Sisters, Hostels . . ■ ■ • • Senior dental nurses— (a) In districts .. • ■ • • • ■ • • ~ (b) In training-school .. .. • • • • • • b • ■ • • School dental nurses .. • • ■ • • • ■ • • • '' 1 J. Student dental nurses .. .. • • • • • • • • • j 18 3 9 201 138 369