Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

244 VISUAL EDUCATION August, 1924 20 per cent, the value of the reparative work. The educational program comprises the examinations by prophylactic visiting nurses, classroom instruction in oral hygiene, instruction in the use of the toothbrush, keeping of Brownie charts by the individual pupils, and the awarding of gold stars to individual pupils as they attain per-. fectly healthy mouths. One object of the educational program is to obtain the co-operation of the parents and enlist their interest in the welfare of their children's teeth. The routine followed by the prophylactic nurses in keeping up this constant survey of grade children's teeth is as follows : Each individual school is examined from kindergarten to sixth grade (permission first being obtained from the principal), then a record of each individual pupil is made, and the names of the children grouped together by rooms. A brief talk is given in each room by the nurse or by Dr. White, the dental supervisor, to explain the 100 per cent, or gold star program in which they are being enrolled, and to emphasize the necessity of dental care. The examinations are then conducted by first taking four or five children from the room, then, as fast as each child is returned to the room, taking another in his place. In this way, the classroom work is but slightly interrupted. As the examination is being made, the nurse gives the child a personal talk to arouse his interest in the game of working for a gold star healthy mouth. If necessary, the child is instructed in the correct method of brushing his teeth. Particular stress is laid upon the importance of caring for the six year molars. The toothbrush problem in connection with the dental hygiene work was, of course, a large one. In some cases the parents indicated an unwillingness to purchase toothbrushes for their children. The cost was, in some cases, a serious obstacle. The problem was finally solved by getting a $500 appropria tion from the Junior Red Cross, together with a $100 fund from the board of education, to be used as a revolving fund for toothbrushes. Five thousand brushes were sold last year at a cost of 10c each. These brushes were distributed by the medical nurses, dental nurses and through the clinics. On the second survey of each school, each child's teeth are checked with reference to cleaning, filling, and extraction. If no work has been advised in the preliminary survey, the case is checked O. K. dentist upon the completion of all necessary dental work. When the certificate has been signed, indicating that the work has been done, it is returned to the teacher, who keeps it until the check-up the following month. On the second and successive visits, the records are checked by collecting the signed certificates and rewarding gold stars to those pupils who merit them. Those who have neglected to have the advised dental work done are further urged to complete their treatments or are The School and a gold star placed after the name. As fast as each child has his teeth put in a thoroughly healthy condition, he obtains his gold star. At every examination, each child receives a notification slip, which grades his mouth, as "good," "fair," or "poor." If his grade is "fair" or "poor" he receives in addition a dental certificate to be signed by a DENTAL CttTIFICAK MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ■» <^?.^,£:~^A/ -. Thit I. to ctrtlli h*d ill daUi work ioae Ihil U oeccnur il ihli . & S. :x The Pupil's Tooth Record Dentist at Work referred to the nurse for clinical attention, if the parents are too poor to send the children to their own dentist. The honor of belonging to a 100 per cent perfect room is one of the incentives held up before each child to encourage him to visit the dentist and to keep up the toothbrush habit regularly. The opinion of his schoolfellows enters into this situation, and is a strong factor in promoting the game of a healthy mouth. Records are posted regularly, showing the health percentages of the various classrooms, and this causes competition to run high. Next year, to further stimulate individual and class pride in the 100 per cent healthy mouth, we are