w many teeth have been filled? How much is needed for one
year?
What is the total cost to date?
How much would two examinations
How many days have been lost a year by a dentist cost?
from work because of toothache?

How many teeth are now decayed?

What will it cost to have them
attended to?

The result will show that the money spent for one good "house cleaning"
of one child at fourteen or eighteen exceeds the cost of keeping clean
and in repair the teeth of the entire family. How effective and
economical is thorough cleaning is confessed by an eminent dentist, who
taught an assistant to clean his patients' teeth. "Do you know," he
said, "I had to stop it, so perceptibly did my work decrease." The
total time required to examine school children for teeth needing
attention is much less than the time now lost by absence from school or
wasted at school on account of toothache.

To remind school children regularly of dental hygiene is not more
important than for the school to remind parents repeatedly of the many
reasons for attending to their children's teeth. It is not enough,
however, to send one message to parents. Illustrated lectures, mothers'
meetings, demonstrations at hospitals and fresh-air homes are all very
serviceable, but listening is a poor substitute for understanding.
Schools should see that parents understand the aesthetics, the
economics, the humanity of dental hygiene. The best test of whether
the parent has understood is the child's tooth.

Dental examination of children applying for work certificates gives the
health and school authorities a means of enforcing their precepts. When
no child is allowed to go to work whose teeth cause malnutrition or
disgust, the news will spread, and both child and parent will see
clearly the grave need for dental care.

[Illustration: WON BY THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT]

Finally, local papers can be interested. They will print almost
anything the teacher sends about the need for dental care. They like
particularly facts about the number of cavities found, the number of
children needing care, efforts made to procure care, and new facts
about diseases that can be caused by bad teeth or about diseases that
can injure teeth. Teachers can persuade dentists and physicians to
write stories. No newspaper will refuse to print such statements as
this: "A tuberculous patient in si