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DENTAL SERVICES
The Chief Dental Officer and Principal School Dental Officer reports as follows :
The slight progress in the dental service made and reported on for 1956 was unfortunately
not maintained throughout 1957. Staff/patient ratio deteriorated and for still
another year it was impossible either to give in every instance the desired standard of
dental treatment, or to introduce organised revisional treatment for patients rendered
dentally fit.
In Division 4 staff/patient ratio was 1:4,000 while health division No. 6 was worst
with 1:12,200. The average ratio for the county was 1:6,800. For still another year
pressure was alleviated by many patients who preferred to make private arrangements
for treatment. It is doubtful if treatment required was in fact obtained in all such cases.
In an attempt to obtain more sessions for treatment the experiment was tried of
curtailing sessions devoted by dental officers to dental inspections in schools and relying
on references of cases for treatment from other sources. This experiment confirmed that
dental inspections by dental officers were necessary to ensure that children who needed
dental care were discovered and to keep the supply of patients at a level high enough
to ensure full occupation of the dental officers in the surgeries. The effect on number of
sessions of this experiment is shown in the graphs on page 146. In October, 1957,
normal inspection sessions by dental officers were re-introduced.
The statistical tables showing preceding years are brought up to date and again
published for comparison. Table (i) shows the faltering staff position. The decline in
number of full-time officers is ominous and is not replaced by the equivalent in part-time
staff. Without healthy recruitment it is doubtful if a sound dental service can be established.
Table (i)
Year
Establishment
approved
temporarily
(.fulltime
positions)
Dental Officers
Equivalent in
Full-time staff
Sessions a week
Total
Total
Number
employed
Fulltime
Part-
time
School
service
MCW
service
School Service
MCW Service
Fulltime
Parttime
Fulltime
Parttime
School
service
MCW
service
(Dec.)
1954
93
114
54
60
68
62/11
569
179
41
27
748
68
(Dec.)
1955
93
116
49
67
6710/11
59/11
527½
220
33}
24
747½
57½
(Dec.)
1956
95
122
52
70
734/11
64/11
561½
246
42½
27i
807½
70
(Dec.)
1957
95
118
44
74
658/11
69/11
460
263
46
29½
723
75½
The modernisation of surgeries programme was almost completed in 1957 and only
a few surgeries—unsuitable on grounds of size, shape, tenancy, etc.—remain at a relatively
low standard. It is encouraging that many dental surgeons comment on the
satisfactory equipment supplied.
143