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124
Though it would appear that practitioners are now in a
position to set aside more time for conservative work, particularly
for the older children, little extension of facilities is perceptible in
the case of the younger age groups.
'Whilst it would at present be premature to attempt to assess
the final balance between the two services, a substantial volume
of parental opinion would still appear to favour treatment of an
institutional kind, provided this can be secured at regular
intervals.
With regard to less well informed areas it is clearly apparent
that unless dental supervision can be introduced as an active force
which is closely linked with the education side, most of the
preventative work now accomplished would go by default.
The following Table demonstrates the variation in the
acceptance rate during recent years:—

* Specials.—Those referred by Head Teachers with Emergency Forms
Arrangements for Treatment.
Of 18,640 children referred for treatment (including specials)
11,482 (61.6 per cent.) were treated and 8,794 (47.1 per cent.) cured
completely, compared with 13,583 referred, 10,493 (77.2 percent.)
treated and 8,318 (61.3 per cent.) cured in 1952.
As a result of increased assistance from full and part time
staff, total treatment sessions rose from 2,452 to 2,487. Because of
the conversion of one part-timer to a full-time capacity, however,
numerical part-time sessions declined from 753 to 705 sessions.
Treatment figures show a corresponding increase, especially
in the case of those devoted to restoration of function of fractured