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185
Before putting into operation the suggested restriction it was
felt that it would be advisable to give parents adequate warning;
and since September, 1935, the routine letter sent by post to parents
has been worded as follows:—
Dear Sir (or Madam),
I have to report that your child
has been found by the School Dental Surgeon to have defective teeth
requiring treatment.
If you desire to have the treatment carried out by the School Dental
Surgeon, please sign and return the notice on the back of this form to the
Head Teacher. A letter of appointment will be sent to you in due course.
The charge for all necessary treatment is one shilling. If you are unable
to pay, please state reasons.
The School Dental Service exists primarily for the preservation of
school children's teeth; not for the extraction of unsaveable teeth. If,
therefore, you fail or refuse to take advantage of two consecutive offers of
dental treatment without good reason, it will be presumed that you do not
wish to avail yourself of the services of the School Dental Surgeon for the
preservation of your child's teeth. It will then be necessary for you to
take your child either to a private dental practitioner or to the dental
department of a hospital in the event of any urgent dental treatment
being necessary.
A. W. FORREST,
School Medical Officer.
As the average period between two successive dental inspections
in school is 16.85 months, it was not until late in 1937 that the
scheme of restriction could be put into operation.
The following letter is now being sent by post to parents who
have failed to take advantage of the facilities offered.
Dear Sir (or Madam),
Your child was examined
in school by the School Dental Surgeon on and
again on
After each of these examinations I addressed to you a letter drawing
attention to the fact that your child was found to have defective teeth
requiring treatment, and requesting you to sign and return the consent-totreatment
form if you wished the necessary treatment to be carried out by
the School Dental Surgeon. Each of my letters contained the following
statement:—
"The School Dental Service exists primarily for the preservation
of school children's teeth; not for the extraction of unsaveable teeth.
If, therefore, you fail or refuse to take advantage of two consecutive
offers of dental treatment without good reason, it will be presumed
that you do not wish to avail yourself of the services of the School
Dental Surgeon for the preservation of your child's teeth."