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204
REPORT OF SENIOR DENTAL
OFFICER.
To the School Medical Officer, May, 1939.
Barking Borough Council.
Sir,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report of
the Dental Service for the year ending December 31st,
1938. The figures for the year are shown on a separate
page and it is to be noted that the number of fillings
show progressive increase over past years and is
accompanied by a corresponding increase in acceptances.
It is relevant at this point to examine what factors
most assist in obtaining a Dental Service which
functions over the minimal standard that reasonably
might be expected.
The first essential is a good type of building together
with equipment, well maintained, for members of a
community need some visible expression of the services
they hope to utilize, and the stubborn resistance of
those who are prejudiced is furthered by a service
environment which may be below civic standard. A
surgery which is regarded with distaste by parents is no
place to instruct children in dental hygiene. In this
respect the design, appearance and maintenance of the
Dental Clinics of this Authority can be regarded as
a model which any Authority might well adopt.
The frequency with which the School Dental Surgeon
is able to establish routine contact with his prospective
patients has a direct relation to the probable acceptance
rate, and it is well within reason to aim at two routine
inspections of all schools in a school year. The