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34
officer being responsible for approximately 3,000 children
for the first nine months of the year. Thereafter the loss
of a full time officer disturbed this ratio.
A substantial increase was achieved in the number of
school children receiving routine dental inspections in the
schools, the figure of 5,254 in 1946 rising to 7,262 in 1947,
primarily due to the appointment of the fifth full time
dental officer. Control of dental disease in school
children depends, in the light of present knowledge,
mainly upon regular inspection in the schools, followed
by facilities for prompt treatment. Lack of attainment
of this goal in an area such as Hendon, where the acceptance
rate is 87%, leads to a steadily increasing number of
parents and children who request inspection and treatment
in the clinics. The list of such 'specials' grows at
an alarming rate and thereby prevents adequate control of
dental disease by routine inspection. Provision has therefore
been made for increasing the establishment of fulltime
dental officers to 8 when premises become available.
There was a further increase in conservative treatment,
the number of fillings in permanent teeth rising
from 6,373 in 1946 to 7,350 in 1947. The benefits of
skilful conservative treatment are in general accepted in
the Borough and it is unusual to find parents doubtful
about the filling of their children's teeth. The number
of permanent teeth extracted as the result of disease was
722, an increase of 100 on 1946 and explained by the
increase in the number of children inspected. An
energetic system of following up evaders of treatment has
brought a considerable number of children with longstanding
dental sepsis under the care of the health centres
which has also tended to increase the extractions.
The ratio of permanent teeth saved to those extracted
remained at 10 to 1, but with regard to the temporary
teeth, this ratio is by no means achieved 2.5 baby teeth
having been extracted to one saved. No preventive
dental service can be considered as fulfilling its true
function in such circumstances. The temporary teeth
erupt to provide an efficient masticatory apparatus from