View report page

77
demonstrations as described in previous reports. 366 or 72
per cent. of these Leavers obtained their school leaving certificates
of dental fitness.
The acceptance of treatment rate for the School Routine
Inspections has reached the new record figure of 80 per cent.
This is chiefly due to the beneficial effect of the Committee's
decision to exclude from treatment at the Clinic children over
10 years of age whose parents refuse to allow them to be treated
regularly for the remainder of their school life. The rate of
acceptance in the Senior schools where these regulations have
been enforced has increased this year from 77 per cent. to
90 per cent.
2,533 of the 4,036 children referred for treatment were
given complete treatment and some 600 children were only
partially treated or awaiting complete treatment at the end of
the year.
It is clear, after considering the foregoing figures, that the
time available for the service is insufficient and that an increase
of over 30 per cent. is required simply to inspect and treat where
required every child annually, which is one of the conditions of
a satisfactory school dental service as laid down by the Board of
Education. But an increase of 30 per cent. would not meet
three other requirements, viz., (1) the increase in the school
population caused by the inception of Nursery Classes in 1937 ;
(2) the increase in patients to be treated as a result of the still
rising acceptance rate; and (3) the time required for education
in oral hygiene by the Dental Surgeon for which there is urgent
need in this district.
At present the dental staff consists of one full time dental
officer and two part-time officers doing 17 sessions per week
during the school year. Of this total of 17 sessions per working
week, five are devoted to Secondary and Technical Schools and
M. and C.W. Services. Application had been made for the
appointment of a whole time officer instead of the two part time
officers. This would allow for an increase of approximately
40 per cent. in the time available for the Elementary School
Service and would meet its present needs.
With regard to the operative work done, the ratio of
fillings to extractions per child is equal. The number of