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in I 971. Although this is an improvement it is still below the national average of 58%.
Our aim is to concentrate initially on as many primary schools as can be included on
an annual basis. We hope that it will then be possible to increase the number of schools
included from year to year until an annual inspection of all school children is achieved.
Extractions
We have endeavoured to follow a policy of restoration rather than extraction, and it
can be seen from the table below that the ratio of filled to extracted teeth has risen in both
services from 1971 to 1972.
Ratio of Filled/Extracted Teeth
Deciduous Permanent
School Welfare
1971 2.0 4.3 8.4
1972 2.5 8.0 20.6
General
Anaesthetics
It is probably true to say that more children are "put off" dentistry by having a
general anaesthetic than by any other dental technique. In fact, this is often the only
procedure that can be remembered from a previous course of treatment. We have tried, therefore,
to carry out as many extractions as possible under local anaesthesia and the figures
quoted below reflect a promising degree of success in this.
The number of General Anaesthetics as a percentage of total
visits by all patients
School Welfare
1971 7 5
1972 4.5 2
During 1972 a simple test for sickle cell anaemia was instigated for certain ethnic
groups prior to general anaesthesia. This test was carried out by the dental nurse.
St. James
Health Centre
The decision by the Health Committee to approve the provision of a dental suite at
this Health Centre was particularly welcome, as this area of the borough is in need of such
faci lities.
Special Groups
These include the physically handicapped, maladjusted and E.S.N, children.
As with difficult normal children, the problem here is normally one of time and dentists
in the general service can only reasonably care for a small number of these patients.
Because local anaesthesia or simple general anaesthesia in the dental chair is not
applicable to the majority of these patients, comprehensive dental treatment on a "day care"
basis is the only solution. This would have to be carried out in a specially equipped unit and
with the services of a fully trained staff.
Perhaps the provision of such facilities will become possible within the new Area
Health Authority.
Prevention
The ever increasing demand for dental treatment associated with the persistent
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