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42
fewer cases were also referred from Welfare Centres. Though
all those applying for treatment received appointments to attend
the Dental Clinic, absenteeism continues to be rather high and
some 30 per cent. failed to appear for their oral examination.
Expectant mothers examined for the first time numbered 2G8
against 424 last year. Of these, 75.4 per cent. were seen during
the first six months of pregnancy, compared with 84.7 per cent.
previously recorded. Despite this slight decline the year's figures
are still substantially high, and have no doubt to some extent
been influenced by failure in keeping "initial" appointments. It
is also significant that certain of those attending at later stages of
their confinements did so as the result of pain or discomfort,
which might have been avoided had treatment been sought at an
earlier date.
There has been a further decrease in the amount of work
carried out for nursing mothers. To a certain extent this is the
outcome of the steady emphasis on the importance of treatment
being carried out during the ante-natal period; in this respect a
limited decline may be regarded as a measure of the success of
the scheme. In the case of recent returns, figures are too low to
afford any reasonable assessment of present requirements; it
would appear, however, that such patients are adequately
"served" in other quarters.
Only 13 nursing mothers visited the clinic during the current
year, compared with 17 in 1950.
Treatment.
Including those continuing treatment from the previous year,
297 mothers were dealt with, compared with 476 in 1950. Though
the volume of work decreased, appointments were well kept, and
there would appear to be a greater appreciation of the importance
of preserving the natural dentition.
As in the previous year there has also been a noticeable
decrease in the need for wholesale removal of teeth; though it
is unlikely that this represents a universal picture, it seems probable
that a great many previously suffering front chronic oral
sepsis have already received attention through the General
Practitioners Dental Service and thus do not come the way of
the Clinic.