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71
Dental Treatment.
On pages 102 to 104 will be found the report of the Senior
Dental Surgeon (Mr. A. E. Hall) on the work of the local dental
service during last year. Considering the difficulties with which
he has had to contend—war damage repairs of premises and extreme
shortage of staff—during the year, I consider that his record of work
done in these trying circumstances is most commendable.
With regard to staff, the agreed number of dental surgeons
considered to be necessary in Leyton for the school dental service
alone is six ; but during the year under review the only full-time
member of the staff has been the Senior Dental Surgeon, and it has
been necessary to supplement the staff by engaging such temporary
part-time assistance as happens to be available on a sessional basis.
The engagement of such sporadic temporary part-time medical or
dental assistance on a sessional basis is unsatisfactory, uneconomic,
and unfair to both patients and staff. Unless a dental surgeon can
follow-up his cases, he is deprived of one of the greatest incentives
to interest and pride in his work; and mothers and children are
entitled to expect that they should not be inspected or treated by a
different dentist every time they make an attendance. I regard
continuity of inspection and treatment as of prime importance in
any public medical or dental service; and for that reason I beg
that serious consideration be given to the present position in which
mothers and children are now placed in consequence of the new
dental arrangements set up under the new National Health Service
Act.
In framing the National Health Service Act, 1946—which
came into operation on 5th July, 1948—the Government policy
was that :—
"Until the supply (of dentists) can be increased, attention
will have to be concentrated on priority needs. These must
include the needs of children and of young people, and of
expectant and nursing mothers."
Ministry of Health Circular 118/47 of July, 1947, dealing with the
Health Services to be provided by Local Health Authorities under
Part III of the Act, stresses that:—
"The intention of Section 22 is clearly to put them
(expectant and nursing mothers and young children) in a
preferential position and to afford them some guarantee of
treatment not given to other classes. Local Health Authorities
cannot give effect to this intention without expanding