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where children wish to take up part-time employment such as delivering newspapers, etc.
that they be medically examined to ensure they are fit for the proposed employment
Children numbering 324 were examined for this purpose during the year.
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE IN SCHOOLS
Visits were made to schools by public health inspectors in 28 instances in connection
with enquiries and investigations concerning infectious diseases, sanitary conveniences,etc.
THE SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
The Principal School Dental Officer, Mr. D.F. Waller, took up his appointment on
1st January, 1966, and his first report is as follows:-
The year's work shows the beginning of the controlled evolution of a new high
standard of dental service being made available.to all the thirty four thousand
school children in the borough. The service stems from the priority services
provided by the London County Council prior to 1965. The planning and development
of those aspects of the Service which have to be agreed collectively with the
Inner London Education Authority and with the other Inner London Boroughs, takes
time and it was therefore only towards the end of the year that tangible fruits
of the planning could be seen. Following the Inner London Education Authority's
review of the School Dental Service dated 29th June, 1966 it is hoped that a much
greater improvement will be seen in the Service during 1967, reflecting the planning
and financial provisions made during 1966.
It is the duty of the borough's School Dental Service to make dental treatment
available to all children for whom the Inner London Education Authority is responsible
in this borough. It is also obligatory that at least an annual dental inspection
shall be provided so that parents and guardians can be made aware of the dental
needs of their children. In addition to this, it is the duty of the Principal
School Dental Officer and his staff to provide adequate education in dental health
so that the children, together with their parents and teachers, may understand the
problems involved and may be shown the way to the prevention and control of dental
disease.
When it is realised that an average of 81.7% of children of all age groups
examined in school in 1966 required dental treatment, the magnitude of the problem
of dental disease will be understood. Fortunately, the borough has within its
boundaries the dental treatment resources provided by the Dental Institute of The
London Hospital andalso 51 general dental practitioners working within the National
Health Service. Many of our children go to the Hospital for emergency, routine
and specialist dental treatment and many more attend their family dentist regularly.
All developments within the borough for improving the dental health of its children
85.