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VII.—DENTAL TREATMENT.
In presenting the Municipal Dental Surgeon's report, which
is a very interesting one and shows the steady progress which has
been made in this work during the year under report, there are
three points that I would like to draw attention to. The first is
that Mr. Grantley Smith thinks the mode of assessment bears
rather heavily on pregnant mothers. No doubt it is imperative
that the teeth should be attended to during this period, and
anything which prevents this must be detrimental to the health
of the mother. Incidentally, the referring of cases to the
Guardians comes under this head.
The second point is the treatment of school children in our
Municipal Dental Centre, and this further raises the question of
asking for a grant for this work.
The third point is the discussing of the advantages of having
a special dental visitor to try and get parents and guardians to
bring up young children to have their teeth treated. There are
some things to be said in favour of this suggestion, but on the
other hand there is no advantage in multiplying officials unless
you are absolutely certain that it is necessary. It seems to me
that the health visitors, who are at present responsible for looking
after children up to five years of age, ought to look upon the
examination of the teeth as a part of their routine work. Having
accompanied the health visitors at various times during their
rounds, I have come to realise the difficulties of persuading
parents to have the first teeth of the children looked after, but
the idea of having young children's teeth looked after is a comparatively
new one, and one cannot expect parents to fall in with
it immediately.
By steady propaganda and reiterated advice by the lady
doctors and the health visitors, I think a great deal more could be
done in this direction, and the necessity for making a special
appointment obviated.
The Clinic in Rotherhithe New Road was re-opened early in
the year, but it is too soon to say how far it is benefiting the
inhabitants, as the Municipal Dentist is only working half-time,
and the work has been done under difficulties since the building
has been condemned by the District Surveyor, and the Clinic
has, perhaps, not been "pushed" to the extent it might have been
had there been more certainty that it would have had a permanent
home in its present building.