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27
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
ACT, 1946
SECTIONS 22. 23, 24, 25 26, 27„ 28, 29 and 51
Pull details of the Council's proposals approved by the Minister of Health as indicated
in my report for 1948 have been published in booklet form and are available for reference
SECTION 22 CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
DENTAL CARE.
Dr. Allan Ross the Senior Dental Officer, submits the following report on the dental
treatment provided for expectant and nursing mothers and pre school children in 1955<
As was envisaged in the report for 1954 the beginning of 1955 was gloomy
indeed. One dental officer had resigned towards the end of 1954 and the remaining
assistant dental officer resigned early in 1955 The Senior Dental Officer was
left to cope with the situation entirely alone apart from some rather
intermittent and not altogether satisfactory part time help There had been a
full turn of the circle as this was the situation for most of 1951, viz one fulltime
officer with some part time help The fact that there had apparently been a
large increase in the number of dentists working in local authority clinics made
the position of this Borough difficult to understand
After numerous advertisements at the normal Whitley scales had met with no
response the starting salary was increased considerably and the services of two
dentists were obtained There is not the slightest doubt that if a realistic view
had not been taken by this Authority the Senior Dental Officer would have been
the only full-time dentist for nearly the whole year At the end of the year the
outlook was considerably brighter as there were three full-time dentists with one
vacancy on the establishment still to be filled
The dental treatment of expectant and nursing mothers is gradually becoming
less of a problem due to a falling birth rate The treatment of children under
five cannot be organised on sound lines until there is a much bigger dental staff
Kbny patients are keen to obtain conservative treatment but in spite of intensive
propaganda from numerous sources it is found that their ideas on oral hygiene are
still disappointingly vague*