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11. Denial Surgeries in Schools
A dental clinic was successfully established at Kidbrooke
Comprehensive School during October, 1966. Originally it has been
envisaged that this clinic would commence with progressive school
dental inspections but pressure for treatment from parents and from
cases diagnosed at school medical inspections was such that, by the
end of 1966, although not a single school dental examination had
been carried out, the 'waiting list' for treatment was still considerable.
It was confidently expected that a dental surgery at Eltham
Green School would be operating during 1967.
These are the first dental clinics in schools to be opened within
the jurisdiction of the Inner London Boroughs.
Equipment and Finance
13. Expenditure on Furniture and Equipment
Most of the equipment necessary for the modernisation of
clinics was provided during 1966. All clinics have now been brought
up-to-date and compare favourably with standards to be found in
any good modern general dental practice. Each clinic is furnished
with an X-ray unit, modern operating light, high speed aerotor and
an electric amalgamator.
All recommendations concerning improvements have been
implemented and items not provided during the financial year 1966/67
were included in estimates for 1967/68.
14. Mobile Dental Clinics
Maximum use will be made of these mobile units in the treatment
of handicapped and disabled children but, naturally, deployment
of these caravans will be closely linked with the availability of
dental surgeons.
Summary
The year 1966 was devoted, primarily, to an analysis of the
defects of the existing service and to the drafting of schemes for
overcoming the deficiencies.
It can be reported that plans have been laid for a desirable and
effective School Dental Service capable of physical and administrative
expansion subject to the nationwide shortage of suitable dental
surgeons being satisfactorily resolved.
That the Borough School Dental Service is now on the right
lines is manifest in its undoubted increase in popularity and the
results accruing from an unrelenting drive in the field of dental
health education.