XN000022-1981-06-28 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 1981

PRIMARY SCHOOL DENTAL PLAN POPULAR

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MORE CHILDREN ARE TO BENEFIT FROM THE SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE SCHEME OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR IN SEPTEMBER WHEN THE SERVICE WILL BE EXTENDED TO PRIMARY TWO STUDENTS.

STARTED LAST NOVEMBER FOR PRIMARY ONE CHILDREN, THE SCHEME WILL BE EXTENDED EACH YEAR TO TAKE IN STUDENTS IN THE NEXT GRADE UNTIL IT REACHES PRIMARY SIX, SAID DR SANDY WONG, PRINCIPAL OF THE TANG SHIU KIN DENTAL THERAPISTS TRAINING SCHOOL.

THE SERVICE, WHICH CHARGES A NOMINAL FEE OF $5 A YEAR, PROVIDES PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WITH ROUTINE DENTAL CARE, INCLUDING A FULL DENTAL EXAMINATION, FILLINGS, SCALING, CLEANING OF TEETH AND IF NECESSARY, EXTRACTION.

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY DENTAL THERAPISTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE TRAINING SCHOOL IN THE MACLEHOSE DENTAL CENTRE.

ON AVERAGE, EACH CHILD RECEIVES DENTAL TREATMENT ABOUT THREE TO FOUR TIMES EACH YEAR, AND IS GIVEN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL SERVICE WHEN NECESSARY.

SO FAR, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE PRIMARY ONE SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE VOLUNTARY SCHEME, A NUMBER CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY.

+ IT IS A GOOD START FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS IN EXTENDING DENTAL CARE SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL POPULATION, HE SAID.

DR WONG EXPECTED THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PRIMARY ONE AND TWO CLASSES WOULD JOIN THE SCHEME

IN THE NEXT SCHOOL TERM.

HE SAID THAT OUT OF 89 300 PRIMARY ONE CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HONG KONG SCHOOLS AT PRESENT, SOME 27 000 CHILDREN HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENROLLED IN THE SCHEME.

IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS OF SCHOOLS, OUT OF THE 850 PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG AT PRESENT, 256 HAVE JOINED THE SCHEME: 82 FROM HONG KONG, 118 FROM KOWLOON AND 56 FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID.

SPECIAL BUS SERVICE IS PROVIDED TO TAKE THE SCHOOL CHILDREN TO AND FROM THE TANG SHIU KIN SCHOOL DENTAL CLINIC IN OI KWAN ROAD.

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