View report page

224
"Basis of a Satisfactory Dental Scheme.
"As a result of the experience gained in the working ol
dental schemes in different parts of the country it appears
to be necessary for the satisfactory working of a scheme ol
dental inspection and treatment that the following points
should be observed :—
"1. The arrangements, including' the keeping of
records, should be under the control and supervision of the
School Medical Officer, on whose staff the dentist undertaking
the work should be formally appointed.
"2. Dental inspection should be carried out by a
qualified dentist, preferably by the dentist undertaking the
treatment. In exceptional circumstances the Board are
prepared, in the case of rural areas, to consider proposals
tor the School Medical Olficer or Assistant School Medical
Officer to undertake dental inspection, provided that it can
be shown that they are conversant with the indications
pointing to the need lor conservative dental treatment, and
are competent to perform—
"(a) Adequate dental examination with probe and
mirror;
"(b) Proper dental recording.
Dental inspection should, as a rule, take place on the school
premises and in school hours.
"3. Attention should be concentrated in the first
instance on the group of children from 6-8 years of age. Some
dentists prefer to begin with five-year-old children. The
"critical" age is, of course, the time of the emergence of the
permanent teeth.
"4. An accurate record should be kept of each mouth
examined and of the treatment carried out.
"5. The treatment should be conservative in character,
and accordingly the bulk of the treatment work should be