View report page

27
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
ACT, 1946
SECTIONS 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 51.
Full 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, Principal Dental Officer submits the following report on the denial treatment
provided for expectant and nursing mothers' and pre-school children in 1958.
"For most of the year this Authority was lucky enough to have a full establishment of dental
officers. Unfortunately, towards the end of the year one dentist resigned,, and there was every
prospect of further resignations in 1959.
Dentistry in Local Authorities does not now offer a career comparable with other branches of
the profession and therefore the continuation of the Clinics will depend Increasingly upon part-time
dentists.
The statistical pattern of work done is similar to the previous year, and no special comment
is Indicated."
Dr. J. Lusztlg Martine, Principal Dental Officer submits the following report on the dental
care of expectant and nursing mothers and pre-school children in 1959.
"Comparison with previous reports demonstrates little change, and a large proportion of
expectant mothers and young children continue to receive treatment in local authority clinics under
the special provisions of the National Health Service Act.
I have noted that the dental state among East Ham school children is above the national
average, apart from a few very neglected "mouths." I would suggest that as the number of dentists
employed in the service is below establishment, the work could be speeded up and therefore increased
by the introduction of a new kind of dental instrument - high speed air-rotor drills.
It would appear the recruitment of dentists remains as limited as before and increasingly I
am becoming convinced, that the problem of dental preservation in East Ham may ultimately be solved
by the fluoridation of drinking water as practised in some other parts of the world."