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Mr. GRANTLEY SMITH'S REPORT:—
"I have the honour to submit the seventh annual report of
of the work carried out in the Dental Department.
The total number of patients during 1927 at the Grange Road
Centre shows an increase of 328 over the number treated in 1926
an increase all the more satisfactory as the Rotherhithe New
Road Centre may be considered in the light of a competitor.
There is a decrease of 40 in the number of maternity cases
treated; and an increase of 121 in the number of women, other
than maternity cases, which includes all ages over 21. This
decrease may tend to show that during the period of pregnancy
and nursing, women will not add dental treatment to their existing
difficulties notwithstanding the fact that the cost may be
lessened, but an important reason for this decline is that the
scheme of assessment does not err on the side of generosity.
This scheme of assessment is similar to the milk scheme; is
based on income, less rent, per head in the family and reduces the
fee to half or three-quarters at the most. When this work was
commenced seven years ago the maximum fee was £4 and patients
were assessed even to 100%. Now the fee has been raised to
£6 10s., and the maximum assessment is 50% of the latter. Again,
when the family is in receipt of relief the mother is either referred
to the Guardians for treatment thereby belittling one of the chief
reasons for the existence of this department, or the patient is
treated in one of our dental centres and the Guardians meet the
cost. The following case selected at random may illustrate how
the present scheme works. A nursing mother requires dental
treatment, the cost of which is £6 10s., the weekly family income,
less rent, is £2 3s. 9d., and there are six members in the family.
She is assessed to pay £4 17s. 6d., three-quarters of the fee, her
treatment will require five months to complete, making an addition
of nearly 5/- per week to the family expense. In view of the
foregoing, could this question of assessment be reviewed; and
could the question of a financial arrangement with the Guardians
be raised, so that the dental treatment be carried out in our
Centres
I have to record an increase in the number of children treated,
and, it is found that parents of children of 5 years and upwards,
i.e., school children, are making greater demands on this department