Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-19
FREE DISPENSARY
WILL Be OPENED
Institution for Treatment of
Children's Teeth Backed by
Prominent Omahans.
DENTISTS DONATE SERVICE

During the first week OF the new
year the Omaha Free Dental Dispen-
sary for Children will be added to the
city's public institutions. The man
agement of the Brandeis stores has
donated commodious quarters on the
seventh floor of the Brandeis building
for an indefinite period These public.
spirited men appreciate that one OF
the problems of the day in the cities
is the care OF children's teeth and they
realize that defective teeth corrected
in youth makes for better citizens, and
better citizens make a better COM
munity, and a better community is
what these men want to help build,
The incorporators of the Omaha
Free Dental Dispensary for Children
will be: DR.. Fl. A. Nelson, DR.. +. F.
Whitcomb, DR.. w. A. Cox, DR.. Blaine
Truesdell, Dr. NJ. H. Durham, DR.. P
. T. Barber DR.. w. L. Shearer. DR.. }.
c. Soukop, Judge w. A: Day, Everett
Buckingham, Louis A. Nash, Thomas
7. Ouinlan, Rome Miller, DR.. F. J.
Despecher and DR.. A. 0. Hunt.
Societies Take Up Project.
This project had its inception at a
Joint meeting OF the Chronological
and Tri-City societies last April, when
committee was appointed to start
free dental dispensary in Omaha. The
committee succeeded in enlistlng
eighty-four dentists, who have agreed
to give one-half day each month to
the dispensary work.
The Board of Education will CO.
operate through its staff OF examining
nurses, of which Charlotte Townsend
is the head. Miss Townsend has been
appointed chairman Of the investigat-
ing committee Of the free dispensary
work. The school nurses will advice
parents of all defects observed in the
teeth of their children and the dis
pensary will be offered without charge
to those who wish to avail themselves
of this opportunity. No charge will be
made for dental service or materials
Parochial and public schools will be
given the same consideration.
Under Municipal Patronage.
In some cities free dental dispen-
saries are maintained under municipal
patronage, while in other cities pri-
vate citizens have endowed such III
stitutions, as in the case of the East
man dispensary at Rochester, N. Y.
Dental examinations of children are
now being made in 240 cities of this
country and educators are outspoken
in stating that many instances OF
backwardness have been traced to de-
fective teeth. Marked Improvement
has been noted in children who have
been relieved of defects in their teeth.
Many infectious diseases have been
traced to defective teeth, which in
fected tonsils and other parts of the
body.
The men who are backing the Oma-
ha Free Dental Dispensary for Chill
dren have for tlreir ultimate aim the
establishment of permanent insti-
tuition to be used as free dental dis
oensary. In the meanwhile the space
donated by the Brandeis stores will
be used.
Need Is Known.
A free dental dispensafy for chill
dren was started last January in the
Creighton Dental college on Eight
zenith street. For several months
school nurses accompanied groups OF
children to this college, where den
lists volunteered their services. Mucl,
good was done, but the work was nee
essarily limited. The experiences OF
nurses and dentists at that time
showed conclusively the need of free
dental dispensary in Omaha.
The start has been made and the
institution will be opened during the
first week of the new year, Omaha
children will be given clean and sound
teeth.