London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1960

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Table: Table (iii)— Average number of permanent teeth restored for each permanent tooth extracted

Table (iii)— Average number of permanent teeth restored for each permanent tooth extracted

19513.43
19523.86
19534.69
19545.32
19557.39
19566.50
19576.41
19586.34
19597.41
19607.57

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Orthodontics
There was little change in 1960 from the preceding year, but it is regretted that acceptances
by hospitals fell. It is appreciated that demands on hospital facilities for this type
of dental treatment preclude acceptance by them of large numbers referred specifically
from local health authority school services. Increases noted within our own service are
stimulating.

Table: T able (iv)

T able (iv)

19561957195819591960
Number of special orthodontic sessions290321282229237
Number accepted at special orthodontic sessions252108199138152
Number accepted at routine sessions427403474371401
Number referred to hospitals182158186279154
Total number of patients accepted or referred861669859788707

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Maternity and child welfare dental service
The 'priority service' of the National Health Service for another year had perforce—if
the school dental service was to be spared—to continue at a low level and remained
undeveloped. The 10 per cent. of total dental effort tacitly agreed upon some years ago
by all concerned continued to operate and table (v) shows the considerable volume of
useful work produced by the equivalent of about five full.time officers operating 2,592
sessions.

Table: T able (v)— Attendances and treatments of maternity and child welfare patients

T able (v)— Attendances and treatments of maternity and child welfare patients

19561957195819591960
Number of sessions3,1693,2933,1352,7642,592
Number of appointments offered36,71136,63634,74030,45627,368
Attendances—bv appointment27,64026,00624,69121,99519,651
—other1,7991,7171,5391,1221,060
Silver nitrate treatment4,7165,4235,0654,4155,858
Fillings13,46511,31011,49110,0318,716
Extractions9,5617,8095,8735,1144,513
Dentures supplied—new full538508422380351
—new partial778820685649468
Number made dentally fit7,4926,0105,0144,7844,165

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Dental service in boarding schools and residential establishments
Every permissible means was again employed to give the best service possible to these
establishments, but it proved impossible to obtain at all of them the standard and continuity
of service desired. Agreements with local practitioners, assistance from other local health
authorities, visiting dental officers, transport of children to surgeries, and the deployment
of school dental officers from their normal treatment centres were all utilised, but dental
treatment and supervision at some establishments left much to be desired.
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