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dental officer with all these persons, for whom treatment can be tiring and
time consuming, in spite of the satisfaction on completion.
TREATMENT
Most clinics now run an efficient recall system, sending appointments
for a dental check up to their patients when necessary, usually at 4-monthly
intervals. This routine treatment for their regular patients constitutes the
largest part of the dental officer's work.
When, as a result of school inspections, treatment is requested by
new patients, appointments are arranged at the earliest possible date, and
emergency treatment is given within a day.
It will be seen from the figures that more teeth have been filled
compared with previous years, whilst the figure for extractions continues to
decrease, with fewer general anaesthetics being given. This is a satisfactory
state, and should progress in this way each year.
Appointments missed by patients without adequate reason are a cause
of irritation to the dental officers who could be using the time on other
children.
DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
During the year more time has been spent by dental officers in the
most important field of dental health education.
At the end of June Mr.Pierre Picton, a freelance professional clown
under the title of "Pierre the Clown" spent a week in the borough. Sponsored
by the Fruit Producers' Council in conjunction with the General Dental Council,
he visited 21 of the primary schools and at his special request also visited
Bedelsford School and St.Philip's School for handicapped pupils, and the Kingston
Training Centre, talking in all to over 5,500 children, distributing apples,
badges and dental health literature to each one. Dressed in his clown's outfit,
he spoke for about 20 minutes to the pupils at each school, his talk being based
on the four Rules for Good Teeth. His Worship the Mayor, Councillor R.Pearse
Oliver, gave his support to the campaign and attended a session at one of the
schools. Pierre's visits to the schools made a tremendous impact on the children
and letters received from heads after the campaign bore out this fact.