XN000022-1979-05-02 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1979

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE $10-MILLION DENTAL COMPLEX ON MORRISON HILL, SIR MURRAY DESCRIBED THE CENTRE AS +AN IMPORTANT PHASE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S DENTAL SERVICE.+

THE NINE-STOREY BUILDING WILL SERVE AS THE NERVE CENTRE FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S DENTAL SERVICE, PROVIDING TRAINING FACILITIES FOR DENTAL THERAPISTS AND OTHER PERSONNEL.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE WILL PROVIDE REGULAR EXAMINATION AND SIMPLE CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT TO ALL CHILDREN ENTERING PRIMARY ONE IN SEPTEMBER, 1980.

THE SERVICE WILL BE PROGRESSIVELY EXTENDED TO ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN, HE ADDED.

TO MEET ANTICIPATED DEMAND, THE GOVERNOR SAID, FOUR ADDITIONAL SCHOOL DENTAL CLINICS WILL BE BUILT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, TWO IN KOWLOON AND TWO IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT IN 1980 OF A DENTAL SCHOOL AT HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, WE WILL HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED PROVISION FOR DENTAL SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY PAID TRIBUTE TO SIR SHIU-KIN TANG, WHO DONATED $1.8 MILLION TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC ACCOMMODATED IN THE CENTRE.

HE SAID THE NUMBER OF SIR SHIU-KIN'S PROJECTS IN THE VICINITY OF MORRISON HILL HAVE TURNED IT INTO A TANG SHIU-KIN MEDICAL VILLAGE —— A REFUGE FOR THE SICK OF THE NORTH SHORE OF THE ISLAND.

+WHILE THIS CENTRE BEARS MY NAME AT SIR SHIU-KIN'S REQUEST, AS A TOKEN OF GOVERNMENT'S APPRECIATION IT IS ONLY BEFITTING THAT THE TRAINING SCHOOL AND THE CLINIC SHOULD BE NAMED AFTER HIM, AND I EXPRESS TO HIM MY HEARTFELT SENSE OF HIS GENEROSITY AND PUBLIC SPIRIT, HE SAID.

DURING THE CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG, TOLD THE GATHERING THAT THE DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL HAD ALREADY BEEN FUNCTIONING EVEN BEFORE THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE CENTRE.

SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR, HE SAID, 33 STUDENT DENTAL THERAPISTS AND FIVE DENTAL HYGIENISTS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING TRAINING COURSES LASTING THREE YEARS AND ONE YEAR RESPECTIVELY.

ON COMPLETION OF THE COURSES, THEY WILL WORK IN THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE MENTIONED BY THE GOVERNOR, SAID DR. THONG.

+ROUTINE PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE BY DENTAL THERAPISTS AMONGST THE SCHOOL POPULATION HAS PROVED TO BE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN MANY COUNTRIES AND THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IN HONG KONG WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE BENEFIT OF SUCH A SCHEME,+ HE SAID.

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