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46
There has not been any noticeable increase in the demand for
treatment since the inception of the Health Service in July of last
year. Although an excellent scheme for the provision of inspection
and treatment of M. & C.W. patients has been formulated and
approved by the Ministry of Health, we have been unable to
implement these proposals owing to the fact that the present
dental staff is quite inadequate to cope with the amount of work
involved and we have been unable to appoint any new dental
officers. Complete treatment has been offered where possible, but
those patients needing dentures have to be referred to a private
practitioner as we are not yet in a position to provide these
appliances.
Every effort is made in the ante-natal clinics to advise young
mothers on the dental conditions which occur during pregnancy.
In the dental clinics, mothers are instructed in the proper way to
clean the children's teeth and instructive pamphlets are given to
those mothers who are anxious to preserve their children's teeth.
Expectant Mothers
1/1/48 to
4/7/48
5/7/48 to
31/12/48
Total
Examined 104 121 225
Needing treatment 94 104 198
Treated 86 95 181
Made dentally fit 79 82 161
Nursing Mothers
Examined 22 34 56
Needing treatment 18 32 50
Treated 13 26 39
Made dentally fit 12 20 32
Children Under 5 years
Examined 155 180 335
Needing treatment 150 162 312
Treated 144 150 294
Made dentally fit 144 150 294