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77
Section of the Report. Expectant and nursing mothers and children under
five years of age are eligible for treatment.
Mr. W. H. Turner submits the following report:—
"I append a table of statistics, setting out the details of the work
carried out at the Dental Clinic, and am glad to report that we have had
another good year, with a steady increase in the work.
"This increase has been most marked in the number of patients who
have had extractions under general anaesthetics; and this has necessitated
an occasional additional 'anaesthetic session,' which additional session
has taken the place of one of the fortnightly sessions allocated for extension
of' conservation' work. This procedure has, in turn, shortened the time
available for the latter—the most necessary part of the dental treatment.
There are indications that if the work of the clinic continues to expand it
will be necessary before long to consider the advisability of converting
the extra fortnightly session into a regular weekly one, and preferably
having it on a separate day from the weekly morning session, thus giving
patients with a lengthy course of treatment the opportunity of two visits
weekly. This would enable us to keep a closer watch on acute conditions
or on cases of troublesome haemorrhage or inflammation after extractions.
"We still have a small minority of patients who have the more urgent
work done, and are thus relieved from pain or acute septic conditions,
but who fail to attend their re-appointments for completing the treatment
necessary. I beg to suggest that, if these cases were scheduled and health
visitors notified to call upon them, emphasising again the advantages of a
healthy mouth, and. pointing out that, apart from acute and painful
conditions, other dental disease can perpetuate ill-health, we should get a
still higher percentage of completed cases and thus raise still further
the standard of dental health.
"Of the new patients in 1926, 133 were mothers and 76 were young
children."

Patients contributed £17 11s. 6d. in small sums according to their
means.