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SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
Mrs. B. Fox, B.D.S.—Principal School Dental Officer
The aim of the school dental service is the annual inspection of all school children so that
parents may be informed if their children require further specialist advice or treatment. A full range
of dental treatment is available for children whose parents request treatment from the Borough's
dental service. A proportion of children receive regular dental treatment from the General Dental
Service, and the school inspections complement the service by encouraging regular attendance
for more detailed examinations at the dental surgery. The use of X-rays allows a more comprehensive
assessment of the child's dental health.
Children undergoing orthodontic treatment, those on the handicapped register, and those
requiring special observation are recalled at intervals to the clinic for re-inspection.
The group of children selected as needing orthodontic treatment received this at Ickenham
Clinic. Travelling across the Borough presents problems as regular attendance over a period of
eighteen months may be required. In the future it is hoped that another Centre may be opened,
more conveniently situated for patients in the Yiewsley/West Drayton area.
The dental clinic at Yiewsley was closed at the end of 1970 as the Health Centre is to be
built on the site. Suitable temporary accommodation was not available and children requiring
dental treatment will be referred to the nearest dental clinic with a consequent reduction in local
facilities for the time being.
There has been a severe shortage of medical anaesthetists for the administration of general
anaesthetics, and the service was greatly curtailed. Children requiring a general anaesthetic were
referred to the hospital service with inevitable delays. The situation has now improved and general
anaesthetic sessions are now available at selected clinics on a regular basis.
ENURESIS ALARMS
34 Enuresis alarms were in use (issued 1969) on the 1st January, 1970. During the course
of the year, these were all returned and it was indicated that in 22 cases there had been a successful
result, whilst in 12 cases the result was unsuccessful.
During 1970, 61 new issues were made and the alarms were returned before the end of the
year. 42 were successful in use and 19 were unsuccessful. In addition 2 alarms were ready for
issue, but were not collected from the clinic.
Altogether 95 results were available in 1970 of which 64 were successful (67-37%) and
31 were unsuccessful.
On the 31st December, 1970, 41 alarms were still issued and there were 14 names on the
waiting list.
Altogether in 1970, a total of 102 issues of Enuresis alarms were made.
131