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103
In this matter of propaganda the Dental Board of the United
Kingdom was also most helpful and provided a speaker to visit the
schools, address the children and show models of the process of
dentition and what happens when teeth decay, how it could be
prevented and treated. These lectures stimulated the interest of
the children and were most beneficial.
There is a certain number of parents who will only avail
themselves of the dental services for their children when the child
is actually suffering from toothache, then, of course, it is generally
too late to do any real preventive work.
While it cannot be denied that the extraction of a septic tooth
is of benefit to the patient, to permit the remaining teeth to become
septic is neither scientific nor rational and is contrary to
preventive principles. If the attitude of such parents cannot be
altered, it is doubtful whether it is not better to exclude them from
the dental service altogether so that the children whose parents
are willing to have early treatment may thus receive full benefit.
There are certain defects which it is not possible to treat with
the present staff these are malocclusion of the teeth and deformities
of the dental arch. When these are discovered they are referred
to appropriate dental hospitals or the offending teeth extracted,
but when the dental staff is complete I hope that it will be possible
to inaugurate an orthodontic scheme to deal more adequately with
cases of this nature.
ORTHOPAEDIC TREATMENT.
The scheme for the treatment of orthopaedic defects is very
complete, dealing with school children and with children under
five years of age referred from the Maternity and Child Welfare
Centres. It is run in conjunction with the Royal National
Orthopaedic Hospital and arrangements are made for an
Orthopasdic Surgeon to be in attendance at 2 sessions per month
or more often, as required, and a Masseuse attends 7 sessions
per week to carry out such remedial exercises, massage, etc., as
are prescribed by the Surgeon.
In-patient treatment, where that is necessary, is carried out
at the Royal National Orthopasdic Hcspital's Country Branch at
Stanmore. This arrangement has the Ivantage of the child being
under the care of the same Surgeon throughout the whole of his
treatment.