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135
In conclusion
This has undoubtedly been a difficult year because of the over-riding
problem of dental officer shortage, but as far as possible every effort has been
made to provide a comprehensive dental service for those children who have
attended for treatment. Our attention has once again also been directed
towards establishing preventive measures because in the long term surely
we should not be content to provide more and more treatment when known
preventive measures can reduce significantly the level of dental disease.
April 1974 now seems but a short time ahead and it is awaited with
both eager anticipation of the benefits of an integrated service and the feeling of
stepping into the unknown and uncharted fields of operation of a new look
dental service. One only hopes that this most prevalent of common diseases
embraced in dental caries and gingival inflammation will continue to have
due regard paid to them in terms of manpower, resources and financial provision
in the new era of the National Health Service.
As always my last words are to say thank you to the dental staff and
also to the support and encouragement of both professional and administrative
staff in the Health Directorate.
B.M. Spalding, L.D.S., D.D.P.H.R.C.S.(Eng)
Principal School Dental Officer