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During the summer a carnival float was entered in the Borough Carnival depicting
the return of dental health stamps, (see photograph) In November Pierre the Clown came
back to Tower Hamlets for two weeks and provided excellent support for the stamps by
emphasising them during his entertaining dental health talks.
Staff
At December 31, 1969, the professional full time dental staff consisted of one
Principal School Dental Officer, one Senior Dental Officer, two full timedenta)
officers, a part time orthodontist and fourteen part time dental officers together
providing a whole time equivalent of 9.5 (compared with 8.9 in December 1968). These
dental officers were assisted by three full time dental auxiliaries who devote half
their time to clinical dentistry and half to dental health education.
The Principal School Dental Officers joint appointment with the London Hospital
Medical College Dental School involves him as part of his academic duties in teaching
community dentistry to clinical dental students. These students visit the borough on
several occasions during their training and one of the results of this liaison has been
a greatly increased demand from new graduates for positions on the dental staff.
Consequently the average age and the enthusiasm of the dental staff has improved
greatly during the year.
The professional staff are ably assisted by thirteen full time dental surgery
assistants without whom the volume of clerical as well as clinical work would never be
achieved. The one whole time clerk who carries the burden of the routine every day
administration with great efficiency will it is hoped receive some extra clerical
assistance during the coming year. Itisnot possible to administer the dental inspection
programme and its analysis and efficient follow up together with the administration of
the dental health stamps and all the other normal routine work without further assistance.
The problemof recruiting young dental surgery assistance because of the unreal istic
scale of pay in the younger age bracket was discussed last year. Unfortunately no
advance has been achieved with this problem in 1969.
Premises and Equipment
Further improvement in the equipment and decoration at our fclinics was carried
out during the year. The impetus reported in previous years has now diminished with
the accomplishment of so much of our programme. The future must be served by the
acquisition of new or converted premises for additional surgeries where the need is
greatest.
Special Services
The programme of routine dental treatment for the mental ly and physical ly handicapped
children in our special schools was continued by taking the mobile dental caravan on
its routine circuit. The one large special school which had never been visited was
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