View report page

157
The number of children found to be in need of dental treatment
was 8,442, the incidence of dental disease being 83 per cent. The
need for a continuous dental scheme is shown by the fact that
some dental treatment is considered to be necessary in over fourfifths
of the children inspected.
The total number of cases actually treated was 6,211.
Fillings:—
Permanent teeth 6,264
Temporary teeth 612
Total 6,876
Extractions:—
Permanent teeth 914
Temporary teeth 3,426
Total 4,340
Other operations:—
Permanent teeth 796
Temporary teeth 294
Total 1,090
Administrations of general anaesthetics for extractions—675.
The value of the service is in the saving of permanent teeth
which it effects. The number of permanent teeth extracted was
914, whereas the number of fillings of permanent teeth was 6,264 ;
so that for every permanent tooth extracted, nearly 7 were rendered
serviceable by filling.
Details of the school dental work are shown in Table IV, Group
IV of the Appendix.
CASUAL DENTAL TREATMENT.
(Report by the School Medical Officer.)
It is always a difficult matter to decide on the policy to be adopteed
with regard to the casual treatment of children whose parents have refused
the offer of routine dental treatment on previous occasions; and Local
Education Authorities throughout the country differ widely in the amount
of treatment afforded to "casuals."