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The number of children for whom no treatment was needed
was 1,349, a percentage of 28-9 compared with 1,338, and a percentage
of 27 in 1937. In previous reports I have referred to the
importance of maintaining a fairly constant percentage of sound
dentitions at the annual inspections, and the comparable figures
for the five years are as follows:—
1934 1935 1936 1937 1938
27.5 34.4 24.6 27.0 28.9
an average of 28-5 over the period.
The percentage of refusals was 23.3 compared with 23.8 in 1937.
The number of children in each year being 727 compared with 862.
Although the reduction in this percentage is small, it is a step
in the right direction, and when consideration is given to the fact
that no restriction in the case of previous refusals takes place in
Beckenham, that every child is inspected whether a persistent
refusal or not, that the children of parents who state that private
treatment will be obtained are also included, the percentage of
refusals is not an excessive one.

The extractions of permanent teeth numbered 599, and of
these 88 were sound teeth removed for regulation purposes and 5
were supernumerary teeth, making a total of 93, thus reducing the
loss of teeth due to caries to 511.
The number of cases of irregularity treated by mechanical
means was 20, and that by extraction 60.
Three dentures were supplied to replace incisor teeth, in two
cases following fracture of the teeth accidentally, and in one, the
teeth were badly developed and their restriction was not possiblr
by conservative means.
Three upper incisors were crowned, and in these cases the teeth
were fractured accidentally.
The number of scholars treated from the Secondary Schools
was 73, and they made 126 attendances.
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