TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1982
2
FIRST DENTAL THERAPISTS TO GRADUATE
****
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL HAS PRODUCED ITS FIRST GRADUATES WHO WILL HELP RUN ITS SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE.
THE DENTAL SCHEME HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR TWO YEARS AND IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR.
THERE ARE 80 000 PRIMARY ONE AND TWO PUPILS REGISTERED IN THE SCHEME, MORE THAN DOUBLE LAST YEAR'S 35 000.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID A SECOND SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC WILL BE OPENED ON MONDAY (FEBRUARY 8) AT ARGYLE STREET TO SERVE CHILDREN LIVING IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE SCHEME WAS STARTED IN OCTOBER 1980, WITH ONE SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC AT MACLEHOSE DENTAL CENTRE, WANCHAI TO TREAT PRIMARY ONE CHILDREN IN THE FIRST YEAR.
IT WILL BE PROGRESSIVELY EXTENDED EACH YEAR TO TAKE IN PUPILS IN THE HIGHER GRADES UNTIL THEY REACH PRIMARY SIX.
THE SERVICE PROVIDES SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH ROUTINE DENTAL CARE, INCLUDING A FULL DENTAL EXAMINATION, FILLINGS, SCAL ING CLEANING OF TEETH AND IF NECESSARY, EXTRACTION, AT A FEE OF $5 A YEAR,
PUPILS IN THE SCHEME ARE ATTENDED BY DENTAL THERAPISTS UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF QUALIFIED GOVERNMENT DENTISTS.
DENTAL THERAPISTS HAVE TO UNDERGO A THREE-YEAR TRAINING COURSE RUN BY THE DENTAL SERVICE OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT THE TANG SHIU KIN DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOL WAS OPENED IN 1978 TO PRODUCE 30 DENTAL THERAPISTS EACH YEAR.
THE FIRST GROUP OF 31 DENTAL THERAPISTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE THREE-YEAR COURSE GRADUATED LAST OCTOBER AND HAVE BEEN ATTENDING TO CHILDREN UNDER 18.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF DENTAL THERAPISTS WILL BE HELD AT TANG SNIU KIN DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL, MACLEHOSE DENTAL CENTRE, QUEEN'S ROAD EAST, WANCHAI, ON THURSDAY (FEBRUARY 4) AT 2.45 PM, WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MÉDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG AND MRS THONG OFFICIATING.
YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT.
13