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32
With renewed efforts and further following-up additional cases were forthcoming,
and the surgery was re-opened on 6th December, 1933, but the services of the two
dental surgeons were only required on one session a week each. During the
month of December, 33 children were dealt with and they made 50 attendances.
There is no doubt that under this system a considerable amount of school time
is saved, but it is evident that, so long as it is necessary to obtain the consent of
parents to treatment, such a scheme cannot be brought to fruition, with the
consequent uneconomical use both of the facilities available and of the services of the
dental staff. It should be mentioned that no charges to parents for treatment are
made under this voluntary scheme. The Council's own scheme of dental treatment
is handicapped, in comparison with this smaller experiment, by the necessity for
making charges to the parents, but a consideration of the proportion of children
remaining untreated suggests that it is not so much the charges after all that act as a
deterrent, but rather the apathy of the parents and the repugnance of the children
to the dental chair.
Dental
Board
travelling
exhibit.
Much dental propaganda has been undertaken in connection with the schools
by the Dental Board of the United Kingdom.
The Board at their own expense have supplied travelling exhibits which consist
of a series of models showing the development and eruption of the teeth, their
structure and the diseases to which they are prone. Permission has been given for
the Board's demonstrators to visit schools in certain selected areas during school
hours. It has now been arranged that, so far as possible, the demonstrations shall
take place just before dental inspections are due to be held by the inspecting dental
surgeons in particular schools. It is found that the children are extremely
interested both in the lectures and in the exhibits; and it was thought that, by
following up with dental inspections immediately after the demonstrations, a
considerable number of additional children would subsequently attend the centres
for treatment. During the year these demonstrations have been held in four
divisions of London; but, from the evidence which has been obtained, no marked
increase in the numbers treated at the centres in these divisions has been apparent.
It would almost appear that in London all persuadable people have already been
converted to the practice of dental hygiene, and that a cohort of angels even would
fail to make an impression on those who obstinately remain outside the scheme.
Nevertheless the useful purpose served by these demonstrations in propagating
knowledge relating to the care of the teeth and dental hygiene generally cannot be
gainsaid, even the faithful require reinforcement of their faith from time to time,
and the demonstrations are continuing.
Charges to
parents.
For many years the prescribed charge made by the Council to parents in respect
of medical and dental treatment of school children was 2s., covering all necessary
treatment for a period of 6 months. In the case of minor ailments free treatment
has been given for the first fortnight after which 1s. is charged, and, where slight
treatment only has been given in dental cases, the charge has been 1s. The charge
for operative treatment of enlarged tonsils and adenoids was increased from 2s. to 5s.
in April, 1932. All children operated on under the Council's scheme are retained in
the various centres as in-patients. Parents appreciate the care and attention given
to their children in the wards, and it was found that some were desirous of giving
more than the amount charged, as a mark of their appreciation. In those dental
cases where extensive treatment is undertaken, including the administration of an
anaesthetic, the charge was increased to 3s., the normal charge for ordinary cases
remaining at 2s. The aim of the dental service is to secure that the children
commence treatment in the early stages of dental decay, when teeth can be saved.
Accordingly, with a view to encouraging early treatment, 1s. only has been charged
when slight treatment only has been necessary. The average cost to the Council of
dental cases is approximately 7s. per case.
Although there has been some falling off in the number of cases treated, the
total amount collected from parents has increased. So far as those parents who are