View report page

must be made with the mutual understanding and co-operation of all the dental and
medical services in the area. It may well be that the school examinations carried
out next year will create a demand for treatment that will outstrip the treatment
facilities at our clinics and it is then that even greater demands for treatment may
fall on the general dental practitioner.
The local development of the School Dental Service must be swift, sure and imaginative
but immediate expansion has been restricted by the physical availability
of new clinic accommodation. A great improvement in the image of the School Dental
Service is required and, when this is achieved, will result in an ever increasing
demand for treatment.
Staff
At December 31st, 1966, the professional staff consisted of the Principal School
Dental Officer, two full-time dental officers and 7 part-time dental officers, together
providing a whole time equivalent of 6.5, (compared with 4.8 at December, 1965).
These dental officers were joined during the latter part of the year by a dental
auxiliary. The professional staff were ably assisted by 7 full-time surgery assistants
and one full-time clerk. The number of professional officers is inadequate to meet
the examination and treatment needs of the Service and recommendation has been made
for an initial increase in the establishment as follows:

This revised establishment is related to the anticipated availability of new premises
during 1967 and will be further expanded when more premises can be made available.
The recruitment of suitable full time paedodontists to the Service is directly
related to the image the Service maintains, both locally and nationally. The often
unsatisfactory image of the school dental officer and the service within the profession
stems from unsatisfactory premises and equipment, unacceptable conditions of service
and inadequate remuneration, combined with limited incentives and career structure.
There is also a tendency for patients, parents and teachers to look down upon the
School Dental Service. The result has been a serious shortage of recruits of the
requisite calibre for full-time service and whilst every effort is being made in
this borough to improve premises, equipment and local conditions of service, no
86.