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Inspection
It is the aim of the dental service to examine all primary school children every
other term and to examine all secondary school children once a year. In 1969 we have
come closer to achieving our target.
The method of examination is such that we are able, in spite of the vast numbers
of children involved, to record an accurate assessment of the dental caries state of
each child at each inspection,, As children are seen at each succeeding inspection
the record develops and it is possible to follow, and where necessary to influence, the
changing disease pattern, Because of this system we can show the children, their
parents and teachers the need for treatment in some detail and we are now much more
effective in our stimulation of them to take action where it is indicated
Further development of this system is continuing and it is hoped eventually to be
able to follow the evolving patterns of gum disease and malocclusion in a similar way.
The,need for passing the results of these inspections not only to our own staff but
also to the many local general dental practitioners who treat the majority of the
children is self apparent. We know in most cases the name of the dentist which each
dentally conscious child attends Where the dentist is a member of our own staff it
automatically follows that appointments are sent where the need for treatment has been
found. In similar circumstances when a child regularly attends a local general dental
practitioner or the London Hospital it is logical that the practitioner involved should
be informed about his patient's dental needs and given the opportunity of offering
an appointment should the situation demand it. The tripartite nature of the health
service, professional independence and the size of the administrative task have
precluded full development of this concept but some progress has been made in individual
cases. The recently published Green Paper on the Future Structure of the National
Health Service gives hope of unification of the dental services within the Health
Service. It is hoped that much greater co-operation can be achieved locally during the
next few years before the principle of unification is implemented by legislation.
The dental health of the children has improved considerably during the past four
years but there is as yet no cause for complacency. The percentage of children found to
require treatment at school dental inspections during the year was 62.2%The figures
for previous years were: 1966-81.7%, 1967-70.6% and 1968-68%.
Treatment
The treatment provided in our surgeries is still of an overwhelmingly conservative
nature. The quantity of restorations inserted has increased by 35% since 1968. The
number of fillings completed totalled 20,408 (10,995 in permanent and 9,413 in
deciduous teeth) whilst extractions were only 341 permanent and 984 deciduous teeth The
ratios of permanent teeth fi1led to extracted being27.2: 1 and deciduous teeth filled to
deciduous teeth extracted 8.5: 1.
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