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183
"nothing in the greater and more far-reaching problem
"of good health resulting from a sound dentition.' It is
"an educational scheme of conservative dentistry, and
"that alone is its justification. The school clinic is not
"an out-patient dental department, and any casual work
"should be deferred or declined in accordance with the
"purpose of the general scheme, already enough and more
" than enough for most Local Education Authorities."
In order to enable the dental surgeons to devote their
energies to conservative dentistry and to prevent the school
dental clinic from developing into an out-patient dental
department, I suggest that the Leyton Education Authority
should decline to afford urgent dental treatment to children
whose parents have consistently failed to take advantage of
the conservative treatment recommended by the school dental
surgeons.
The extent to which parents are prepared to accept offers
of conservative dental treatment on behalf of their children
depends on their appreciation of the value and importance of
such treatment. If parents know that their children can have
teeth extracted whenever they are the seat of pain, then they
tend to refuse offers of early conservative treatment "with an
easy conscience." If, however, they understand that, by
consistently refusing conservative treatment, they render
their children ineligible for urgent casual treatment, parents
will undoubtedly begin to appreciate the real purpose and value
of the school dental scheme.
Of course, from a humane point of view, it may be contended
that it is unfair to punish a child for the ignorance or
foolishness of its parents. On the other hand, it is much more
unfair to penalise parents and children who are prepared to
take advantage of the facilities for which the School Dental
Service was instituted.
Report by School Medical Officer to Education Authority—
May, 1935.
At your last meeting I drew attention to the time wasted
in inspecting and endeavouring to treat children whose parents
consistently decline or fail to take advantage of the treatment
offered; and I have already referred to the fact that all