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Dental Scheme.
Miss Esmee K. Wilson, L.D.S., resigned her appointment as
Dental Surgeon in June, 1932, Miss Evelyn Richardson, L.D.S.,
being appointed in her place.
There is still much propaganda and teaching required to
impress on parents the need for early dental treatment for the
young child. This is best done at the Infant Welfare Centres and
through individual talks to mothers by doctors and health visitors
at Clinics and in the homes. Once a child has attended the
Dental Clinic it is kept under regular supervision by the Dental
Surgeon until reaching school age. This system of regular reexamination
naturally fosters interest among parents in the care
and protection of the teeth of their toddlers.
Amongst the mothers themselves there is a considerable prejudice
against dental treatment, especially during pregnancy; this
prejudice may be partly attributed to fear, but is often due to
faulty advice given by friends of the patient. With the rearrangement
of the dental work so that it is all carried out at the Maternity
and Child Welfare Centres, the Dental Surgeon and Medical
Officer are present at the same hours at the Clinics; thus a patient
can be sent direct from the medical to the dental department. This
has enabled more mothers to be dealt with, and obviates a longwaiting
list for dental treatment- Again, as with the young children,
individual talks is the best form of propaganda, and in this
the midwives can do much by advising the parent to ask for dental
treatment when they present themselves at the Antenatal Clinics.