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SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE 1968/1969
There is an increasing awareness on the part of the general public of
the need for regular dental attention and the demand for dental treatment at
the Borough's Clinics continues to grow. To encourage this trend, especially
in the younger age groups, school entrants were given an attractive card on
dental health and a sample tube of toothpaste in 1968 and in 1969,an oral
hygiene kit, consisting of a beaker, toothbrush and toothpaste. Infants and
Primary Schools were supplied with colourful wall charts, designed especially
for young children, and a film loop showing the correct way to use a toothbrush
was run at intervals at all the Dental Clinics.
The maintenance of an efficient dental service in all five clinics is
a difficult task, mainly due to the rapid turnover of staff, but the dental
officers were co-operative, working extra sessions or changing their centres
of work to keep the clinics running as smoothly as possible.
In spite of staff changes the total number of dental sessions rose
during the years 1968 and 1969 but some school inspections had to be postponed.
The percentage of children found to be in need of treatment was higher, (1968
48.6%; 1969 50.5%) but still compared favourably with the national average of
56.5%.
The pattern of dental treatment over the country as a whole, tends to
vary from one area to another, depending on the number of dental surgeons
available in the area, and the demand for conservative treatment. In Sutton
the demand for conservative treatment is high and the average of 7.1 fillings
to .85 extractions per treatment session compares favourably with the national
average of 5.2 fillings to 2.1 extractions per session.
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