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orthodontist and the employment of dental auxiliaries where
practical. The provision of twin dental surgeries was recommended
and facilities for the hospital referment of children advocated.
Following several staff resignations, favourable trends towards
the completion of our dental establishment, evident at the beginof
the year, failed to develop and the position regressed. At
the latter end of the year some respite was gained and treatment
facilities augmented by the employment of temporary dental officers,
but the possibility of a full staff complement in the immediate future
is remote. Against such a background the present policy of
"restricted inspection" seems justified.
So far, facilities offered by local hospital orthodontic services
have proved satisfactory but inspections will increase and demands
for orthodontic consultations and treatment will grow when our
establishment of dental officers is complete. Appointment of an
orthodontist will then have to be considered. Employment of dental
auxiliaries is dependent upon the introduction of twin surgeries
with a supervising dental surgeon.
These problems continue to have our undivided attention.
Dental health education was considered by the inspector to be
an important part of the service and to require for its development
the co-operation of teachers and other persons in close contact with
children.
Our efforts in this field, which incidentally received very favourable
comments, are well organised. We have our own dental
literature for both parents and children and all school dental inspections
are preceded by personal talks between the Principal School
Dental Officer and the Head Teacher, at which the origins of tooth
decay and allied conditions are outlined and appropriate preventive
measures indicated. This approach has been highly successful in
producing full co-operation and our suggestions regarding the
"swish and swallow" routine after meals and snacks, the elimination
or conversion of tuck shops and the introduction into the curriculum
of simple dental heath education have been readily accepted.
Dental health education is coupled with the distribution of literature
to parents and children via, and at the discretion of, the school and
additional publicity is achieved by the display of suitable material
on clinic waiting-room notice boards. Furthermore, throughout
treatment, all children are exposed to short bursts of "questionsand
answers", individual model demonstrations and assessment of
oral hygiene.
As the result of a successful, intensive dental health campaign
carried out at a secondary school of 2,000 pupils, valuable tion
was obtained which will influence our approach to future dental