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43
DENTAL TREATMENT
I am indebted to the Principal Dental Officer, Mr.P.G.
Oliver for the following report: —
Expectant and nursing mothers requiring dental treatment
are referred by Medical Officers attending Municipal Ante- and
Post-Natal Clinics. In the case of children below school age
reference comes chiefly from Infant Welfare Centres; a reduced
number of applications continue to be received from Day
Nurseries and similar institutions still in operation.
Since the commencement of the National Health Service all
those attending ante-natal clinics are automatically referred for a
routine dental examination, unless they are in the habit of
attending their own dental practitioner. Though as yet not all
those referred avail themselves of this opportunity, it is felt that
the practice is a good one and should be adhered to as far as
possible.
Few major changes have taken place in this Service and
generally speaking inspection and treatment have continued along
the lines previously detailed.
The slight upward trend in the number of expectant mothers
referred, reported last year has, unfortunately, not been maintained,
and the totals for application forms were rather below the
1951 level.
In addition to the smaller number now attending Ante-Natal
Clinics, more patients appear to be "opting" to attend their
private practitioners and are thus not referred for any routine
inspection at clinics.
Some increase is reported in the number of emergency cases
dealt with, the greater part of such work being for nursing
mothers. In. this respect there would appear to be indications that
the present system of offering an unrestricted choice of dentist may
on occasion lead to a certain amount of abuse.
As was expected closure of the greater part of the Day
Nurseries has sadly reduced the number of pre-school children
previously referred from these institutions, though this loss has to
a certain extent been made good by increased numbers referred by
the Dental Officers themselves. The number of these children
referred through Welfare Centres continues to be disappointing;
problems involved in obtaining improved facilities in connection
with the above are discussed later in this report.