View report page

By pre-arrangement, London dental teaching hospitals accepted an additional
100 patients referred from treatment centres, selected on a geographical basis.
By these diverse means, a total of 528 cases were undertaken in the year, an increase
of 187 on 1952. It is a matter for regret that shortage of staff prevented a larger number
from being treated.
Discrimination on acceptance or rejection of patients rested mainly with the individual
dental officer but parents who pressed their demands strongly were interviewed by me
and, if possible, arrangements were made for treatment to be provided.
Maternity and child welfare dental service
In 1953 the main effort continued to be directed to strengthening the dental service
for children but due attention was given, within the facilities available, to building the
service to meet the demands of expectant and nursing mothers. Shortage of staff still
prevented instigation of routine inspections by dental officers of all new patients attending
maternity and child welfare centres, which is envisaged in the National Health Service
Act, and requests for dental attention continued to be made only by medical officers.
The resultant demand was not great and, as in the preceding year, only about 10 per
cent. of the total sessions worked were devoted to this branch of the services. Most
expectant and nursing mothers are believed to obtain dental treatment from local
practitioners or from hospitals, but there was some growth in demand to the Council
for treatment for pre-school children. Results are shown in Table V below.