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and stimulates work in art and literature. Each school is encouraged to
make use of the Unit on their own account during the remainder of the
week, and for teachers to undertake their own project work.
Whilst the Unit serves its purpose in disseminating dental health
knowledge, thought must now be given to providing some motivation, on a
community as well as a personal basis, to practice good oral hygiene and
to seek dental fitness.
School Dental Inspections:
The policy of concentrating the efforts of the service on infant and
junior schools has continued during 1968, though a very limited start has
been made on integrating secondary schools into the programme on an incremental
basis. For the first time in many years more than half the school
roll was inspected, 55.8% in all with 49,2% receiving a first inspection
at school, and 6.5% being inspected at a clinic. 59.5% were found to be
in need of treatment and, understandably at this stage, this figure shows
little improvement over the 62% recorded in 1967.
Treatment
The increase in the number of children receiving a dental inspection,
has resulted in a parallel increase in the demand for, and the provision
of treatment, the conservative nature of which has been emphasised by the
great increase in the number of fillings completed. The total number of
fillings completed has increased by 50% over 1967, with only a 26% increase
in the number of sessions devoted to treatment
Full statistical details of the treatment provided will be found in
the Appendix, with the 1967 figures for comparison. The ratios of both
deciduous and permanent teeth filled to those extracted continued to be
well above the national average, and the total output per session continues
to rise. The acceptance rate of 48.5% is encouraging but there remains the
chronic problem of failed appointments, made all the more serious by the
heavy overall demand on the service.

These figures do not reflect the great changes that have occurred
during the year, and whilst they do show vacancies for two dental officers
it is gratifying that for moist of the year a full complement of staff were
in post.
Mr. I.G.Fogg was appointed Senior Dental Officer and took up duties
on 1st May, 1968, and Miss M.E.Stone resigned her full-time appointment
in September but continued in a part-time capacity. Mrs. G.M.Sowray and
Mrs. J.Burns joined the service as part-time dental officers, though Mrs.
Burns later resigned together with Mr. J.W. Sharpe and Mr. R.Moody.
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