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83
DENTAL SERVICES
The Council's Chief Dental Surgeon, Mr. Wm. Ritchie Young, V.R.D., F.D.S.,
took up his duties on 7th July, 1948, and reports as follows:—
Owing to the interest now taken in dental services and their great importance,
it is thought advisable to present a statement showing the position before and after
5th July, 1948.
Dental facilities in the county of London at the commencement of 1948 were
available as under:—
(i) By attention from private dental practitioners at expense of the patient,
or aided by National Health Insurance payments through "Approved Societies."
(ii) By public bodies—
(a) Metropolitan Borough Council Dental Services, mainly for
"maternity" cases and pre-school children and a certain amount of
dental treatment for the tuberculous. In some boroughs a general dental
service was provided.
(b) The Council's School and Hospital Dental Service of a comprehensive
nature for school children and "maternity" cases attending
L.C.C. hospitals. [Treatment was provided also for certain other
in- and out-patients.]
(iii) By voluntary bodies—
(а) The Eastman Dental Clinic.—Chiefly treatment of school children
on behalf of the Council.
(b) The British Dental Hospital.—Mainly treatment of adults including
certain work for the tuberculous.
(c) Voluntary Hospitals and Dental Teaching Schools.
Treatment of school children when arranged by the Education Authority was
free. In most of the cases under (ii) and (iii) there was a small charge which, however,
could be remitted.
When the National Health Service Act came into operation on 5th July, 1948,
great changes in responsibility for dental facilities were introduced and were as
under:—
(1) Private Practice.—wherein the patient pays the dentist—remains, bat
anyone can ask the dentist [provided he has joined the Executive Council's list]
to give him free treatment as a patient under (2).
(2) "The General Dental Service" in which practitioners in their own
premises are paid by the Executive Council on a " scale of fees for work done";
while
(3) In Provided Premises (Health Centres) they are remunerated by the
Executive Council on a salary basis.
(4) Hospital Dental Services remain but there are no charges.
(5) Dental Teaching Hospitals and Schools are directly under the control of
the Minister of Health through specially appointed Boards of Governors. Here,
also, treatment is free and the dental surgeons are remunerated on a sessional or
whole-time salary basis,