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LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL SCHOOL DENTAL OFFICER, 1971
It is interesting to reflect at the end of the first five year period of the Borough
School Dental Service, on some of the trends and changes in the patterns of dental
demands and treatment. The number of sessions held increased over this period of
five years by 25%. This increase was largely due to an expansion of the inspection
service beginning in 1966, which resulted in over 56% of the school population being
inspected in 1971 compared with 17% in 1966.
Dental Health Education was another theme which showed considerable change
during this time. The development of the I.L.E.A. dental health unit together with the
appointment of dental auxiliaries in the borough has resulted in a more sophisticated
and intensive approach to this most important aspect of the service.
The amount of treatment given has also expanded. The number of fillings has
risen by approximately 15% and the number of extractions of permanent teeth has
fallen by 20%. Average attendances have remained fairly steady during this time and
the number of courses of treatment completed annually has increased by approximately
10%. The most significant figure possibly is that which shows the percentage of
children seen at school requiring treatment. This has fallen slowly but steadily year by
year and is now approximately 55%. This pattern is reflected in other parts of Inner
London and is no doubt a result of the extended treatment facilities and also of the
Dental Health Education carried out by the I.L.E.A. and the individual Boroughs.
Inspection and Treatment
The same number of sessions as last year were held. The number of Dental
Health Education sessions showed a fall but this was balanced by an increase in the
ordinary treatment sessions. There was a slight increase in first visits and a fall in the
number of broken appointments. The figure of first visits is a very important one as it
reflects the proportion of the school population who attend for treatment. Therefore
this figure indicated the extent to which the School Dental Service is making inroads
on the amount of dental disease present in schoolchildren. Although there has been a
slight rise this year in the number of first visits this is no cause for complacency as it is
essential to increase this figure until all children who are found at school inspection to
need treatment have not only been given the opportunity of having it but have also
been persuaded to avail of this service. The increase in orthodontic activity this year
was due to the fact that during 1971 we had the services of our sessional orthodontist
who has been dealing with the backlog of treatment remaining from the previous
year. The amount of orthodontic treatment showed a welcome increase although there
is still much scope for expansion in this field.
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