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The 1,756 "administrations of general anæsthetics for extractions" represents the
number of time gas was given, and not the number of sessions devoted to extractions under
gas, which was 135. In some districts very few extractions appear to be done under a general
anaesthetic.
Parents are slowly, yet, I think, surely becoming more enlightened with regard to
dental matters, but we still get cases of complete ignorance, sometimes accompanied by a
curious attempt to cover it by a display of knowledge. Two instances will suffice:—
(1) The class of parents who seem to think that unless they see anything wrong,
nothing can be wrong dentally. They are difficult to convince, their chief idea being the
Dental Surgeon is "out to get trade," and their attitude, if they give way after an explanation
by the Dental Surgeon, seems to be—here is the child—Kismet—and they hand the child
over to us with an air of resignation, but hoping for the best.
(2) A parent was informed that the child required treatment. In reply a letter was
received stating that it did not as nothing was "wrong." The parent was invited to bring
the child to the Clinic and the Dental Surgeon's report would be demonstrated. She came
with the child. Six or eight teeth were found "wrong," some hopelessly carious and unsaveable.
On questioning the mother she replied to the effect that her daughter about sixteen
years old always "inspected" her children's mouths and declared nothing was " wrong."
She, the mother, did not look, not feeling qualified to give an opinion!
Orthodontic Scheme.
The new cases coming under treatment during the year numbered 146.
The Orthodontic scheme has continued during the year much on the lines previouslydescribed,
but there has been one important change. Experience had demonstrated that if it
was possible to have a visiting Orthodontic Specialist at the Clinic, this would be advantageous,
and time and expense would also be saved to the parents, the visits to the Royal Dental
Hospital being dispensed with, except for very exceptional cases.
Mr. H. R. Evans was appointed to this post. He commenced in August, 1932, and
visits the Clinic monthly, seeing all new cases and reviewing the old ones.
Up to the end of the year the Specialist had visited five times, seeing 68 new cases and
also reviewing 64 old cases, making a total of 132 patients seen, or an average of over 26
per visit.
This arrangement is a great advantage, in that it is not necessary to be within easy
reach of a Dental Hospital in order to administer an Orthodontic scheme successfully, which
had seemed to be necessary up to the time of this appointment.
I must, however, here tender my warmest thanks and great appreciation for the vital
work done by the Royal Dental Hospital in fostering this scheme from its inception, in conjunction
with the Dental Clinic here. Their co-operation has been invaluable, and without
it the scheme could never have come to fruition.
The changes in procedure which come about as time advances are those which experience
indicates to be improvements; this method being the only rational one to follow, so that
whilst our demands upon the Royal Dental Hospital are not now so heavy, our appreciation
of their help is none the less.
From time to time Orthodontic cases and other cases—accidents to children's teeth
involving broken teeth, etc., are sent there for X-Ray, all of which are dealt with speedily
and satisfactorily.
It would seem that as time goes on in order to make the Clinic's scheme even more
self-contained, it will be necessary to install a suitable X-Ray apparatus in the Clinic when
this becomes a practicable possibility, both from the financial point of view and from the point
of view of members of the staff being sufficiently trained to operate it, and the ability of present
and future Dental Surgeons on the staff to interpret correctly the X-Ray photograps.
In connection with this I would suggest that the Dental Surgeons be permitted at suitable
times, to attend a short course of lectures on Orthodontic and practical X-Ray work.
The Junior Dental Surgeon, who has carried out most of the inspections, confirms my
opinion that the number of children with Orthodontic defects is much higher than one would
suppose, and at a rough estimate he puts the percentage at well over 33% of the children
inspected, who need some form of Orthodontic treatment.
The main work of Orthodontic treatment is confined to one session a week—Monday
mornings, when the Dental Mechanic visits. The Specialist visits on one Monday morning
per month.
With regard to the various classes of Orthodontic cases, it would seem, reading through
reports of other School Dental Clinics, where Orthodontic work is done, only selected cases
are treated, but here there is no selection, any case being eligible for treatment who can pay
the fee of 37/-, and where the parents cannot afford this they may apply for treatment at
reduced cost or even free, and the special Sub-Committee dealing with these cases deals with
them very sympathetically. The following is the scale:—
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