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With some small exceptions, no arrangements could be made with any hospitals for the
dental care of children. The professional dental associations refused to consider any
co-operative arrangements for establishing dental surgeries on the lines of the school
treatment centres. The Council's dental scheme may be said to date from January,
1910, when advantage was taken of the offer of Dr. R. A. Kirby to provide dental
treatment free of charge at St. George's Dispensary, Blackfriars Road, for a period of
one year. In order that the utmost benefit should be derived from this offer, a scheme
was devised by the assistant medical officer who advised on dental matters, and it is
from this scheme that the subsequent dental treatment organisation developed.
In October, 1910, a comprehensive report on the dental treatment of children
attending public elementary schools stated that it was undesirable to attempt an
immediate and complete settlement of the problem. The Council accordingly adopted
the policy suggested in the report, namely, to enter into an agreement with the
authorities of two institutions to provide treatment for 6,000 children for a period of
one year, as from January, 1911, with a view to accumulating experience as to how best to
deal with the matter. In connection with these two schemes, lectures on dental hygiene
were given in five schools in the vicinity of each treatment centre by one of the
assistant medical officers and general information on the care of the teeth was disseminated
among teachers, parents and pupils by means of pamphlets, etc.
The Council decided in principle that, wherever possible, existing voluntary
agencies should be utilised and that where provision of facilities was lacking arrangements
should be made for the establishment of voluntary committees for the purpose.
This policy guided the later decisions of the Council. Whenever the need for a
centre in any particular district was proved, it became necessary to secure the cooperation
of some local voluntary body who were either actively engaged in the
provision of some form of treatment and therefore in possession of premises, or who
were willing to secure, by renting or purchase, premises which could be adapted for
the purposes of a centre. In this way centres came into existence throughout London
of no particular standard and all varying according to the conditions at the time of
their establishment. It would, of course, have been very difficult for the Council to
establish its own treatment centres in all parts of London without delay, and it was
fortunate in obtaining the co-operation of the voluntary bodies.
To secure the attendance of children at centres, it was found necessary to appoint
' dental inspectors', as the purely medical inspection did not cover the age group of
children amongst whom cases suitable for conservative treatment were especially to be
found. The appointment of ' dental inspectors' was of great benefit, as, in addition
to their work of inspection, they devoted the last half-hour of their time to advising
the parents who had been assembled for the purpose. At the end of 1913 arrangements
had been made for the dental treatment of 31,240 children a year as against 18,850
at the end of the previous year and further centres were being established.
It was not obligatory until 1921 for local education authorities to provide dental
treatment, but under Section 80 of the Education Act, 1921, it became their duty to
do so for children attending elementary schools. The service was also permissive for
higher education and other schools.
By 1922, a great improvement had been brought about. Between 1913 and 1919
the improvement resulted in roughly five per cent. more children leaving school with
sound teeth ; in two years, from 1919 to 1921, another five per cent. was added, and
in 1922 still another five per cent., making fifteen per cent. in all in nine years. The
remarkable improvement noticed during 1921 and 1922 was due to the fact that children
began to leave school who, from an early age, had come under dental inspection.
In 1923 the Council agreed to a scheme by which the dental inspections should be
largely increased in number. By this scheme all the schools were placed on a dental
rota and dental inspection of the children was to be carried out by the school dentists
annually for all age groups of children except those due for examination during the year
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