View report page

25
"At routine inspection, 267 children were found presenting
irregularities of teeth or jaws. These vary from slight to marked
malplacement of individual teeth and deformity of jaws. Some
few would require appliances. Of these latter, only an occasional
parent asks for advice and treatment; of the former, all who attend
the Clinic receive treatment. The results have been most successful.
"A series of addresses was given by a demonstrator of the Dental
Board, so completing all the Senior Schools. These addresses,
with the interesting exhibits are very valuable; but the single
lecture per school per year is not enough amongst all the other
many interests of school life.
"The number of acceptances for treatment remains still at far
too low a level when considering the treatment offered. The Clinics
are well equipped, attractive, and compare favourably with any
in the country.
''The whole community may be said to care very little about its
dental condition until that condition gives rise to pain, when relief
is sought at once and also demanded urgently, though in these
cases complete treatment is very reluctantly accepted. Every
casual case presented for treatment is given the opportunity of
having complete treatment. This is too often either openly refused
or the patient fails to attend on the day of the re-appointment.
''These unfinished cases will return at any odd time when they
are in pain, to be again added to the list of children treated.
''Thus it is only the number of cases receiving complete treatment
which is worth considering. The casual case should be in a category
by itself until the patient voluntarily becomes one of the regular
clientele.
"It is the oral condition of the regular patient on which can be
estimated the real value of the Clinic to the public.
"Under the present scheme every elementary school child is
inspected not less than once a year, in fact, the visit is about every
nine months. Thus every child has the opportunity of complete
treatment.
"At routine inspections the acceptances of treatment were as
follows:—Infant Schools 35 per cent.. Junior Schools 30 per cent.,
Senior Schools (including Central Schools) 18 per cent. This shows
a decline as the child advances in age.
"In the Senior and Junior Schools the girls' departments showed
by far the highest number of acceptances. One Senior Boys'