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of the year there was a large number who had to attend for treatment,
due to the increase in the number of children to be dealt
with and the insufficient staff. With the appointment of a third
whole-time dentist, as is proposed, such arrears should be prevented.
"The work undertaken for all these children was chiefly of
a conservative character and extractions were done only in the
most urgent cases in which the permanent teeth were involved.
The extraction of temporary teeth is always a matter of concern
for it is impossible to do any great amount of conservative work
on this dentition, owing to the fact that parents still neglect to
seek dental treatment at the earliest period of decay. Fillings
were inserted in 6,481 permanent teeth, a slight increase over the
preceding year ; and temporary fillings were inserted in 566 temporary
teeth, also a slight increase over the preceding year.
Extractions of permanent teeth numbered 1,467. This seems a
large figure, but it must be remembered that nearly half of these
extractions were made for the purpose of regulating the denture.
Extractions of temporary teeth reached the highest figure yet
recorded. In all 9,518 teeth of the temporary dentition were
removed, mainly on account of advanced caries and sepsis.
"Dressings were applied for various dental defects in 398
children and scaling and polishing were done in 113 other children.
"During the year, all the senior schools were visited within the
last ten days of the term. This visit was for the purpose of inspecting
children about to leave school on account of age or those leaving
to attend other schools in other districts. The object of the inspection
was to ascertain the number of these children with sound
mouths. It was found that out of 1,344 inspected no fewer than
1,057, or 78 per cent., had sound teeth and mouths, that is naturally
sound and rendered sound by dental treatment. This percentage
will be improved upon when the children who have just
come into the rapidly growing areas of Greenford and Northolt
have come under dental supervision for two or more years.''
(e) Orthopaedic Treatment.
The work of the orthopaedic clinic during the year may be
summarised as follows:—