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Report of the Principal School
for the year 1967
Dental Officer
The staffing difficulties referred to in the report
for the year 1966 continued and indeed became
worse in 1967, so that by the middle of the year
not a single dental clinic in the Borough remained
fully staffed. This was inevitably reflected in a
further decline in the number of children seen at
routine school dental inspections.
Towards the end of the year a new national
salary award was agreed and it was hoped that
the implementation of this, together with the
generally attractive terms of employment offered
by the London Borough of Hounslow would help
to improve a serious situation. Writing this report
in the early part of 1968 it may be said that such
has proved to be the case and it could well be
that next year's report will describe a happier
situation.
Close contact was maintained with the dental
schools, and groups of senior dental students were
encouraged to visit the borough dental clinics as
part of a long term project to attract sufficient
staff of high calibre in the future. Modernisation
of equipment continued and arrangements were
made to install dental X-ray apparatus in clinics
not so equipped.
Appointment of Mrs P Newlands
During the year Mrs P Newlands (nee Burden)
was appointed as a dental officer, having qualified
from the Royal Dental Hospital, Leicester Square.
She received her secondary education at Chiswick
Grammar School.
Co-operation with Kentucky University
During July and August a young American dental
student, Phil Eastep spent six weeks in England
studying the school dental service. He was based
on the dental clinic at 92, Bath Road and his
studies were supervised and planned by the Chief
Dental Officer. On his return to America he was
required to submit a thesis in order to qualify for
an honours degree in dental surgery.
The interesting experiment followed a meeting
between the Chief Dental Officer and Professor
Wesley Young, Professor of Community Dentistry,
University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
Professor Young has since written to say 'I am
certain that this will be one of the most valuable
parts of his (Phil Eastep) professional education'.
The thesis submitted by Phil Eastep was judged
to merit special publication as a university
monograph.
The University of Kentucky has expressed the
hope that similar facilities might be arranged for
other students at some time in the future. Apart
from the desirable aspect of international cooperation,
it is most satisfying that the University
of Kentucky selected the London Borough of
Hounslow dental service to receive the first
student visiting England. Such a visit does much
to enhance the prestige of the Borough dental
service in the eyes of the dental schools, upon
whom we ultimately depend for our staff.
Occupational Health • Staff Health Service
Dr A R Broadbent, senior medical officer
occupational health, reports: —
'The comprehensive staff (occupational) health
service for the borough's employees was
established on 1st July 1967. By the close of the
year the basic components of an occupational
health service, ie those of supervision of the health
of staff, supervision of the working environment
and health counselling, were in operation.
'The number of medical assessments of new
employees has shown a steady increase since the
borough was formed in 1965. The selective
medical examination system is used. By this
system efficient use of highly trained health
personnel is ensured, leaving more time available
for the other essential functions of the service.
This system also avoids the carrying out of
unnecessary medical examinations.
'An important adjunct to the selective medical
examination system is an adequate follow-up
service for new and old employees. In this matter
the co-operation and liaison of the various
departments of the borough and especially the
Establishment department has been of great
assistance in helping to supervise the health of
employees. Over fifty (50) of these medical
consultations were carried out during the year.
'A survey of toxic substances used by the
borough's employees was carried out during 1967.
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