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181
Number of Sessions (Treatment) 178
Dentures fitted 181
Inspections at Centres 5
Appointments kept 79.8%
Expectant Mothers.
The volume of work carried out for the expectant mother
has increased during the year. The number examined was 239
as against 209 in 1936. The most encouraging feature is that
conservative measures totalled 291 as compared with 188 in the
previous year. This is due in a very large measure to the
excellent work of the medical officers, who have referred patients
for dental examination during the early months of pregnancy.
The younger women appear very glad to avail themselves of the
opportunities for treatment, and consequently there has been a
considerable reduction in the incidence of broken appointments.
It is expected that in 1938, when more sessions will be available
for the work, that immediately pregnancy has been confirmed
the patients will be sent to the dental department for examination
and treatment, if required, as it is extremely important that dental
sepsis, if present, should be removed without delay.
It is regretted that more teeth had to be extracted and more
dentures fitted, but as pointed out in other reports, many of the
women's teeth are in such a poor state that conservative treatment
is often impossible. It has been noticed that there is a tendency
for more women to seek treatment during the early months of
pregnancy. The percentage treated up to the third month was
31.2 as compared with 30.7 in 1936. Between the fourth and sixth
months the percentage was 44.4; that is slightly lower than in
the previous year. From the seventh month onwards 24.4 per
cent, were treated during this period as compared with 22.8 in
1936. These percentages show that the greater number of
pregnant women received treatment during the first six months
of gestation.
Nursing Mothers.
The number of nursing mothers examined was 161. This if.
an improvement on 149 examined in 1936. Attendances showed
a welcome increase from 732 in 1936, to 1,077. Fillings and
other operations to the teeth totalled 307, as compared with 252
in the previous year.