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110
The appointment of two Dental Attendants, which was
primarily made to relieve the time of the Health Visiting staff,
has been fully justified and they have been of the utmost
assistance to the Dental Officers, and as a result, the services
of a third Dental Attendant have been provided for in the
Estimates of 1937.
The school population in the elementary schools was at
the end of the year 14,204, in addition dental services are being
provided for 1,057 secondary school children and for mothers
and children referred from the Ante-natal and Child Welfare
Centres.
ft lias been found from experience that the dental treatment
of a secondary school child, has, on the average, occupied
approximately twice as long as that of an elementary school
child and based upon the present acceptance of treatment rate
it is likely that to effectively complete the services, a fourth fulltime
Dental Officer will be required. Provision has therefore
been made for this appointment in the forecast of Estimates
submitted to the Board of Education.
Difficulties were encountered in certain cases due to the
lack of X-ray facilities. An experienced officer, by the usual
methods of investigation, can in nearly all cases decide the
best course of action to pursue in the interests of the patient,
but there are occasional cases in which, without an X-ray
photograph, it is impossible to be quite certain of the existing
condition, this is especiatly so with children where the clinical
picture is often confused by the presence in the gum of teeth
of the second dentition.
Judging from experience, only a small number of cases
will require X-ray investigation, probably not more than 50
each year.
This matter has subsequently received the consideration
of the Committee, who have approved a Scheme for these
facilities to be provided at a local Hospital.
It is probable that only a small number of cases will
require this special form of investigation but should the
Council decide later to carry out orthodontic treatment, which