London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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68
GENERAL DENTAL SERVICE
The Senior Dental Officer reports as follows :—
"Once more I have to report that far more work could have
been carried out if it had been possible to extend the number of
sessions devoted to this service.
"It is with great regret that I must report it has been necessary
to refuse literally scores of patients weekly and that it has been
possible to accept only those patients who have attended previously.
Even these have had to wait far too long for their treatment.
"This is particularly unsatisfactory as dental surgeons have
been available to carry out at least some of the extra work, but
neither space nor dental attendants can be found for their employment.
"The number of dental sessions undertaken during the last
two years have been :—
686 in 1954 and 642 in 1955."
Herewith is a summary of the work carried out during the years 1954 and 1955: —
| 1954 | 1955 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients treated | .... | 725 | 831 | |
| Appointments made | .... | 4,548 | 4,867 | |
| „ kept | .... | 4,054 | 4,396 | |
| Plastic fillings | 2,125 total | 437 | 381 | 1 2,048 total |
| Amalgam | 1,688 | 1,667 | ||
| Inlays | .... | 4 | 9 | |
| Crowns | .... | 21 | 29 | |
| Scalings and gum treatments | .... | 387 | 441 | |
| Dressings | .... | 758 | 515 | |
| No. of teeth extracted | .... | 755 | 752 | |
| General anaesthetics | .... | 222 | 211 | |
| Local „ | .... | 418 | 462 | |
| X-rays | .... | 440 | 509 | |
| Impressions | .... | 627 | 609 | |
| Bites | .... | 168 | 170 | |
| Try-ins | .... | 213 | 221 | |
| Full upper dentures | 262 total dentures | 77 | 214 total dentures | |
| „ lower „ | 64 | 56 | ||
| Partial upper dentures | 60 | 51 | ||
| lower „ | 42 | 30 | ||
| Repairs | .... | 195 | 211 |
DENTAL LABORATORY
Herewith is a list of the appliances completed for the General Dental Service :
| 1954 | 1955 | |
|---|---|---|
| New Dentures | 253 | 229 |
| Orthodontic Appliances | 1 | 2 |
| Crowns | 8 | 12 |
| Repairs | 207 | 211 |
| Inlays | 2 | 1 |