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46
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 PostNatal
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.
During the year there has been a change in the method of
dealing with mothers under supervision at Ante-Natal Clinics.
Following the introduction of the National Health Service
patients attending were automatically referred for a routine
dental examination, unless a desire was expressed to visit their
own dental practitioners. Though this meant a considerable decline
in the numbers dealt with at the local Authority' s clinics,
the practice of offering a freer choice of treatment was thought
to be a good one and was therefore adhered to as far as was
practical. Unfortunately, experience has shown that the above
system was open to a good deal of abuse, which was reflected in
a subsequent increase in the demand for emergency treatment at
later stages of the pregnancy.
More recently a tighter supervision has been introduced in
the Ante-Natal Department, and all patients are now referred to
the Dental Department at their initial medical examination, and
whenever possible this inspection is performed at the same visit.
In this way mothers can be acquainted with their immediate dental
requirements and a stronger inducement is offered to treatment.
More accurate information can be obtained as to those intending
to visit outside practitioners and a follow-up on doubtful cases
can be instituted if thought advisable.
As reported previously closure of Day Nurseries has caused
unfortunate reduction in the number of pre-school children previously
referred from this source. Despite this fact there has
been an appreciable build up of cases introduced by Dental Officers
themselves, and final results have been considerably better
than was expected. The problem of securing early supervision for
the above patients is discussed later in this narrative.
As in the case of the School Service shortage of staff has
considerably hampered activities and visits to Welfare Centres
have been less numerous than was hoped. Provision of treatment
for those in the New Addington area has been greatly assisted by
the opening of the Overbury Dental Clinic, and the response has
been specially gratifying. Additional sessions have now been set