View report page

'At 31st December, 1967, the Dental staff consisted of the
Chief Dental Officer, four full-time Dental Officers, five parttime
Dental Officers and three part-time Orthodontists giving
a full time equivalent of 7.4 Dental Officers compared with
7.9 in 1966. The Authority employs two Dental Auxiliaries
(whole-time equivalent 1.6). Four sessions per week are devoted
to orthodontic treatment by Orthodontists, and two by
one of the Dental Officers.
Of the eight clinics in the Borough, only two were unaffected
by either staff changes or prolonged absences of
Dental Officers due to illness. Mrs. Kojder resigned from the
full-time staff and Mrs. Beaver retired but has now re-joined
on a part-time basis. Mr. Sturman also left the service. We
have obtained the full-time services of Miss I. Kennedy at
the Amity Grove Clinic and Miss Leonard, who had been on
our part-time staff, has now been appointed full-time at the
Grand Drive and Church Road Clinics. Two full-time Officers
were off for three months due to illness and one of the
Orthodontists for eight months.
These staff problems resulted in fewer sessions being devoted
to school inspections with a consequent fall in the
number of children inspected at school, but in spite of a loss
of 135 treatment sessions, some 550 more fillings were done
in permanent teeth.
New dental units were installed in the second surgeries at
Pelham Grove and Amity Grove Clinics and conversions of
anaesthetic appliances to conform to new British Standard
requirements were carried out where necessary.
Thirty-four sessions were devoted to Dental Health Education.
During the summer, 36 Infant and Nursery Schools
were visited by ' Pierre, the Clown' whose amusing method
of putting over Dental Health Education was very popular
with the children, each of whom received an apple. This
scheme has the support of the General Dental Council and
is promoted by the Apple Growers' Association. Talks on
Dental Health have been given in five of the Borough Clinics
to Parentcraft Classes and in Schools to different age groups.
Films, posters and pamphlets are used. The prevention of
dental decay by proper care should be taught as early as
possible and to this end Greetings Cards are now being sent
to all children in the Borough on their third birthday with a
letter to the parents urging them to seek advice at one of the
dental clinics or from the family dentist. Much damage is
done to the teeth of young children by well-meaning but
misguided adults who allow children to eat sweets and snacks
between meals. Parents and School Teachers could make a
great contribution to the dental health of the children in their
care by discouraging this habit, particularly in an area where
there is a water supply deficient in fluoride.
The Orthodontic Service continued to expand during the
year with more new cases, more completed cases, and greater
use made of the County Laboratory.'
103