View report page

39
facilities are available through the General Dental Service. Whilst
it is yet too early to assess what permanent effect these changes
will have, it seems likely that provided an adequate degree of
priority can be given to such patients a certain proportion of these
" outside " contracts will become a regular feature of the Scheme.
In the case of the pre-school child, matters tend to be reversed
and the number of these children requiring to be dealt with continues
to increase. This rise is in no small degree due to the
continued efforts of those officiating at Welfare Centres and Day
Nurseries in bringing defects to the notice of parents and arranging
for subsequent treatment.
Added to this is the fact that the majority of private dentists
are already strained to breaking point in catering for the requirements
of the adult population and therefore find it difficult to offer
facilities, often at short notice, for cases of this type. Under the
circumstances parents are often advised to seek attention at the
local clinic.
Expectant Mothers.
Expectant mothers examined during the year numbered 735,
compared with 873 in 1948. Of these, 86.4 per cent. were seen
during the first six months of their pregnancy. As the benefit
derived from such treatment is greatly enhanced by early removal
of sepsis, the results obtained above may be considered of first-rate
importance.
Nursing Mothers.
The number of nursing mothers referred during the year
declined still more and only 29 new cases were examined, compared
with 69 last year. The reason for this progressive reduction
is largely due to greater emphasis on ante-natal treatment; a
more recent factor, however, has been the provision of free attention
outside the Local Authority's scheme.
The major proportion of mothers attending the dental clinics
were dealt with either during, or closely following the nursing
period; in the latter category were included certain patients for
whom, on medical grounds, work was delayed until after the
confinement.
Including those continuing treatment from the previous year,
837 mothers were dealt with, compared with 1,063 in 1948. Except
for the fact that the volume of work decreased, attendances were
satisfactory, and in the majority of patients there appeared to be