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292
THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
Report of the Principal School Dental Officer
Previous reports have chronicled the not inconsiderable progress
achieved in the School Dental Services since 1965 despite serious
staffing difficulties and, prior to presenting a quinquennial appraisal,
it would seem appropriate, at this juncture, to re-state our
objectives, namely:—
(a) To make dental treatment available to all children attending
maintained schools and those otherwise the responsibility of
the local education authority with the aim of ensuring that, as
far as possible, through dental health education and a high
standard of dental care they will leave school free from dental
disease and irregularity with not only an understanding of the
importance of good natural teeth but also with an inculcated
zeal for their preservation.
(b) To establish a service for routine school inspection together
with routine and emergency treatment clinics and the dissemination
of dental health education in both.
(c) Annual re-examinations up to the end of school life and
arrangements for recall inspections with the opportunity for
treatment, if necessary, after each inspection.
(d) Where the inspecting dental officer finds it essential, arrangements
to be made for treatment within a reasonable time,
normally a month.
(e) In order to ensure that necessary treatment is in fact received,
the responsibility to "follow up" those pupils whose parents
elect to make their own arrangements.
(f) The need to make the benefits of the service available to all
children at some time during their school career.
(g) Resources to be made available for orthodontic treatment.
(h) Institution of dental health education programmes.
(i) Adequate provision for children in special schools.
Treatment facilities
At present, the service has five surgeries in clinics and a further
two functioning in school premises as part of the school. Although
not all the surgeries are in premises ideally situated for the purpose,
the best use has been made of the potential available. Our first aim
was to bring surgeries and waiting rooms into line with the atmosphere
expected of and found in good, privately owned practices.