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6. Post-Graduate Refresher Courses
It was possible to arrange for a different member of staff
to attend two post-graduate courses for public dental officers
during the year — one in Oxford on "Anaesthesia and Planning
in Children's Dentistry", and the other in London on "Preventive
Dentistry". Both were of two days duration and the reports
brought back from these courses proved of considerable value
and interest to the rest of the dental staff. In July, the writer
was successful in obtaining the Diploma in Dental Public Health,
an additional qualification instituted two years ago by the Royal
College of Surgeons of England. The course leading to the examination
is designed to promote and increase knowledge of community
dentistry.
Priority Dental Service
The dental service for the under fives and expectant and
nursing mothers has continued to expand and all the figures
compare favourably with the national average. Of the 905 children
under five years of age who were given a first inspection during
the year, some forty-two per cent required treatment.
An attempt to bring dental health education to this important
group, in addition to that given at clinics, was made by
arranging visits to playgroups in the area by a member of the
Health Education Section and a dental surgery assistant. A
demonstration was given based on the Oral Hygiene Service boy
and girl pictures as shown before the early afternoon T V. programme
for children and a short film shown. Twenty-two playgroups
were visited during the year and over 1,000 children of
pre-school age and many mothers who attended with them were
reached in this way.
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