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The number of sessions devoted to dental inspection in the schools by the 68
inspecting dental surgeons was 2,468. The number of children dentally inspected
was 275,213, compared with 273,737 during 1932.
The number found to require treatment was 175,559, or 63.8 per cent. During
1932 the comparable figures were 174,809, or 63.86 per cent.
So far as treatment is concerned, the total number dealt with at the 69 centres,
including those from the schools allocated to the Eastman clinic (3,405) and
Berkshire-road (617) was 133,835, compared with 134,769 during the year 1932. In
addition there were 5,630 children from unallocated schools treated at the Eastman
clinic.
The scheme under which dental treatment is undertaken by the authorities of
the Eastman clinic without charge to the Council was continued during the year.
There are 16 schools (12 Council and 4 non-provided) within easy access, which
have been allocated to the clinic for this purpose.
The whole of the work, including the inspection in the schools, the arrangements
for the attendance of the children and their parents, and the treatment, is undertaken
by the authorities of the clinic, but one of the Council's assistant organisers is
engaged in connection with the clinic in order to co-relate the work with the care
organisation. During the year 1933, the total number of children dealt with from
the schools concerned was 3,405.
The Eastman clinic also dealt with scholarship and central school cases from
any district in London, who may elect to attend for dental treatment, and in such
cases a capitation fee of 7s. a case is paid by the Council. During 1933 the number
treated was 23.
Special
dental
scheme at
Berkshireroad
school.
Following the closure in 1932, of the special dental centre at 22, Gainsboroughroad,
Hackney Wick, which was established in 1929 and financed by the Manor
Charitable Trust, the work was carried on by the Trust at a small surgery specially
equipped in the myope department of the Berkshire-road school. The new surgery
was opened on 6th March, 1933, and children in attendance at the Berkshire-road
school only are dealt with. The work is mainly confined to prophylactic and
conservative treatment together with simple extraction. No general anaesthetics
are used. Any cases requiring such treatment are referred to the ordinary dental
treatment centres. Two dental surgeons attend the surgery, each on two sessions a
week. The object the Trust had in view in promoting this experiment was to
endeavour to demonstrate that the most efficient and economical method of dealing
with the problem of dental treatment was to establish a small dental surgery at each
school, where the children from the school could be dealt with on the spot, and thus
save considerable-time in travelling to and from the centre, in following-up, and
loss of school attendance. All the children in the school could be seen, and where
necessary, treatment given in the school surgery. Eventually a complete oversight
of the whole school with a healthy condition of the mouths would be obtained.
At the outset the promoters of the experiment were fortunate in the selection of
the school, in that they had the hearty co-operation of an energetic and sympathetic
head master, and there is no doubt that the scheme would have been fully effective
and completely successful if compulsory dental treatment had been possible. This
however is not possible, and refusals of parental consent in this, as in all schemes of
dental treatment, has proved the stumbling block to complete success.
There are about 1,000 children in the school, and during the period from the
commencement of the scheme in March to the end of July, 1933, the number of
children treated was 584; 844 attendances were made; 256 temporary and 175
permanent teeth were extracted, and fillings in 64 temporary and 775 permanent
teeth were inserted. By this time the whole of the treatment required by children,
whose parents had given consent, had been completed, and from the end of July
until December, 1933, it was necessary to close the surgery because there were no
more cases forthcoming for treatment. At the same time there were some 400
children in the school, i.e., about 40 per cent. of the whole school who could not be
seen or treated as the consent of the parents could not be obtained or had been
refused. c 1