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treatment (where gas extractions are necessary besides
conservative or other work, an additional 1/- is charged
for the gas), and that amongst our school population
shillings are not as plentiful as they were in more
prosperous times.
A statistical record of the work performed will be
found in Table IV., Group IV.
Dental Education.
It will be seen from the paragraph above that a
certain number of children who needed attention did
not receive it. In some cases the Dental Nurse on her
visit to the parent found that the reason for their nonattendance
was due to a genuine lack of time and money.
In such cases a friend or neighbour can often be found
to accompany the child to the Clinic, and if it is a
question of the 1/- fee, a certain amount of time may
be allowed in which to pay it.
Some of the parents—a proportion steadily decreasing—are
either so ignorant of the evils of dental disease,
or so indifferent to their children's welfare, that they
decline the facilities offered.
Common sense and common humanity determine
that the inevitable consequences of neglect shall he
widely made known, hence the visits of the Dental
Nurse,the talks given to the parents at the time of the
school inspections, and the practical demonstrations at
the chair side.
Our instruction and education in dental matters is
to point out to parents their own obligations, and the
clinic affords to most of them a way of meeting these.
It will thus be seen we have to overcome sometimes
an unfelt sense of duty on the part of the parents, sometimes
a perverted sense of duty, and sometimes a spirit
of laissez faire.
During the year the Dental Nurse made 613 home
visits.