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Audiometry
Number of children given sweep tests 7,483
„ „ „ „ pure tone tests 414
„ „ „ referred to otologist 273
Report of the Principal School Dental Officer
Following the Department of Education and Science inspection of the dental
services in 1967 the policy of giving priority of school dental inspections in junior and
infant schools was continued. More than two thirds of the junior and infant schools in the
Borough were again inspected in 1968. The organisation of dental inspections continued
to be arranged centrally.
A revised day book was brought into use in the inner London area at the beginning
of the year and although there were initial difficulties there was no doubt of its being a
much improved method of recording information on treatment patterns and attendances
as well as providing the necessary statistical data.
The staffing position improved considerably towards the end of the year and it is
evident that the provision of modern equipment and the opportunity of evening sessional
work can help to attract and retain suitable staff.
The quality of dental surgery assistance in Southwark is very high and our surgery
assistants have proved adaptable and amenable to all the changes in their work in recent
years. Another interesting development during the year was the co-operation between the
Borough Health Education Officer, the Inner London Dental Health Educator and the
Borough Dental Auxiliary on joint dental health education projects in schools.
Inspection and Treatment
The increase in the number of School Inspections which began in 1967 was
continued, approximately 50% of the school roll being inspected during the year. The
percentage found to need treatment was slightly less than the previous year and a little
below the average for the inner London area. There was 12% fewer treatment sessions
than in 1967 mainly owing to staff illness and unfilled vacancies. First visits showed a
decrease. This was mainly due to the new system of recording as attendances only those
children who had treatment carried out during the visit.
Visits for inspection only, or visits where, for one reason or another, no treatment
was given, were no longer counted as attendances.
Dental Health Education
There was much activity in this field during the year. The Apple Club project
which had been started at St. Joseph's, Borough High Street, during the previous Autumn,
ended at Easter with a puppet show and prize competition. Following this pilot venture a
scheme for promoting the sale of apples in schools was started in the Autumn term and
initially 28 schools were taking part. It was hoped that eating apples would not only help
oral hygiene but reduce the consumption of sweets at school.
During the summer school holidays talks and film shows on the subject of dental
health were given at welfare centres and in the parks.
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