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124
Dental Inspection and Treatment of Pre-school Children.
The special investigation which was referred to in my report for last year showed
that the teeth of pre-school children were not nearly so satisfactory as one might
expect. This feature does not appear to be confined to Shoreditch but is possibly
found also in the country as a whole. With a view to encouraging a systematic
attack on this problem a scheme for the routine inspection and treatment of the teeth
of selected toddlers was instituted in May, 1936.
The essential feature of the scheme is that the doctors at the maternity and child
welfare clinics refer children monthly to the dental hospital for examination. Any
treatment necessary is carried out after the first examination and arrangements are
made for the children to return again at intervals of from three to six months at the
discretion of the dental surgeon. The clinic doctors are recommended to base their
choice of cases not necessarily upon any dental examination which they may make,
but upon the question of whether the mother is or is not likely to bring the child up
at the stated intervals.
Procedure.—The clinic doctors are supplied with cards, one of which is filled up
when a child is being recommended for examination and treatment. The card is
handed to the mother who takes it on one of the specified days to the municipal dental
hospital. Further arrangements are made at this institution direct with the mother.
Results of examination.—Since the inauguration of the scheme 166 pre-school
children have been recommended to attend for examination and treatment. Of
these 78 (47 per cent.) actually attended. In only one case treatment was not necessary,
and six children attended but did not carry on with the treatment. Of the
remainder all received treatment with the exception of 12 who have not yet completed the prescribed course.

Comments on the Work of the Hospital.
The proportion of first attendances to primary examinations for various classes
of patients is given in Table IV,