Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-01-28
THE DENTAL CLINIC

A dental clinic was established in Perth Amboy last
year with excellent results. 1t was backed by the dental
association, the Board of Education, the Board OF Health and
the Red Cross. Through the influence of the dental assocla-
lion an excellent equipment, one of the most complete in
the state, was secured for the Perth Amboy clinic without
: cost to the local authorities. A local dentist was secured to
s give two afternoons a week, of four hours each, to the
] work. With the cooperation of the school nurses and the
Board of Health nurses q wonderful work was done.
The proper care of the teeth has become one of the
essentials of good health. Particularly is it necessary for
school children to have their teeth in proper shape if they
are to do good work. The improvement in the child's work
once the teeth have been put in good condition is most
marked. But many parents were unable to stand the ex-
pense of having their chidren's teeth looked after in the
ordinary way. The clinic was the solution to the problem.
So successful was the dental clinic that the Board of
Health agreed to take over full charge of the institution for
the coming year provided an appropriation was secured
sufficient to carry on the work. The dental association, with
wide experience in such matters, estimated that with the
equipment already secured, the clinic could be operated on
full time, that is, for forty-four hours each week with an
appropriation of 1000.
The dental association had a competent operator who
was willing to give his full time to the work for So, 500.
a nurse was also ready to serve at 81, 200. 1t is estimated
that the remaining $500 would take care of the supplies
that would have to be bought. The various boards and
organizations interested in the establishment of a dental
clinic here were satisfied with these figures and so an ap-
speal was made to the Board of Aldermen for 81, 900 With
.nich to put the dental clinic on a full time basis and
enable it to enlarge upon the excellent work it was already
doing.
The Board of Aldermen were greatly impressed with
the work being done by the clinic and agreed to appropriate
the $4,000 deemed necessary for extending the clinic to
~forty-four hours a week. AS the clinic was to be put under
the jurisdiction of the Board of Health, the 81 900 additional
appropriation was added to the amount set aside for the
Board of Health for the coming year with the understanding
that 1T was to be used solely for the dental clinic.
Having got control of this extra 81, 900, however, the
Board OF Health has decided, in it's wisdom, that the amount
is not sufficient to operate the clinic on full time, as was
proposed, and is inclined to let the clinic continue as be-
fore evidently with the idea of using the additional appro-
priation for something else.
The Board of Health is making a serious mistake. 1t
is breaking faith with the other organizations with which it
was associated last year in conducting the dental clinic.
Through the policy it has adopted the city is likely to lose
the dental clinic entirely. This would be a calamity. The
successful operation OF this dental clinic is just as much a
part OF maintaining public health as is any other line of work
the health department may be engaged in.
There is no apparent reason why the numerous nurses
that the Board of Health already has in the field, together
with the school nurses who are more than willing to CO.
operate, cannot do all the follow-up work that is necessary
on the outside. In fact, this ought to be a part of the duties of
The health nurses, as the care of the teeth is a part of MAIN
tanning the health of the community, and if the public health
nurses are not for the purpose of maintaining public health,
what are they for?
1t being generally conceded that a competent operator
ana a nurse can be engaged for full time and the necessary
supplies secured for the 81 900 appropriated for the dental
clinic by the Board of Aldermen, there is no legitimate ex-
cuse for the Board of Health failing to proceed to establish
the clinic on full time as was agreed when the 81, 900 was
appropriated.