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109
mothers. This is due to the fact that many find it
difficult to attend during the day because either they
are working or they are unable to find anyone to look
after their children. It has been most noticeable that
the evening patients are much more at ease and therefore
less troublesome to treat.
The total number of patients treated under this
service during 1959 was 288, an increase of 78 over
the previous year. The reason that more patients
were treated in the same number of sessions was
due in my opinion to the fact that mothers are becoming
more dentally conscious and are receiving
dental treatment from the time of leaving school.
Many came for an examination, not because they had
pain. These mothers usually require only a small
amount of treatment to make them dentally fit. It is
not so common to see mothers with grossly neglected
mouths as a few years ago.
The choice of local or general anaesthesia was
available to the patient when extractions were required.
Most were performed under a general anaesthetic,
this being given always to children under
five. All anaesthetics were administered by a Medical
Officer.
The dentures supplied were made by a local
dental laboratory, an arrangement which has been
in operation for many years and is satisfactory.
Dental X-Ray facilities which are important in
the diagnosis of many dental abnormalities continue
to be available at Mayesbrook Clinic. "