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It was considered that this scheme had sufficient flexibility to meet fluctuating
staffing and yet sufficient rigidity to permit a limited amount of planning. So far it
has worked reasonably well, and it is very gratifying to see the large increase in the
number of teeth saved and the corresponding fall in the number of teeth extracted.
Incidentally, it may be mentioned here that a large number of the permanent teeth
extracted have been removed for orthodontic purposes and as a part of a planned course
of treatment.
In June, a visit was paid by Dr.A.T.Wynne, Chief Dental Officer to the Ministry
of Education. He was pleased to note the increased sessional output of work and the
balance between the various types of treatment, but was disappointed to find that the
West Ham Lane Clinic was still housed in the same building he had visited in 194-6 and
had adversely criticised then.
Early in the year a rationalisation of the supply and equipment position was undertaken
under three main head trigs s-
(a) Existing stocks of instruments, medicaments and materials were examined and any
that were surplus to requirements or which were unlikely to be used were returned to the
suppliers and credited.
(b) An investigation into sources of supply was undertaken and a considerable saving
was effected by ordering some goods which are in constant demand from different firms than
previously. It must be emphasised that this was not done at the expense of quality.
(c) An inspection of the major items of equipment revealed that it would be advisable
to replace a number of obsolescent items by new ones? this to be done as finances permit.
All dental officers have been encouraged to undertake as many orthodontic cases as
they have felt they were able to manage without detriment to their routine conservative
work, but it has always been emphasised to the parents that most pf these cases require,
for their success, the whole-hearted co-operation of the child and parent; where this has
not been forthcoming, the case has been dropped, as an unco-operative orthodontic patient
can entail a considerable waste of time and money.
The Principal School Dental Officer has supervised the majority of the orthodontia
and has always been ready to advise on diagnosis and treatment. A number of more complex
cases were referred for specialist advice to the London Hospital.
Several cases required team-work of the dental officer, physiotherapist, speech
therapist and ear, nose and throat surgeon, and through the Chief Assistant School Medical
Officer, this liaison has been found to work very smoothly.
Little has been done during the year in the field of dental health education on a
large scale and this omission has been, in the main, deliberate; as the service cannot
meet the demands already made upon it, how much less would it be able to manage, were
there suddenly to be thrust upon it a large number of potential patients who had seen the
light!
In conclusion, I would like to record my appreciation of the unstinting efforts
of the dental and clerical staff during the year to cope with the demands made upon
them and also of the never-failing co-operation of the medical officers, nurses and
teachers.
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