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'At 31st December, 1969, the dental staff consisted of the Chief
Dental Officer, three full-time Dental Officers, five part-time Dental
Officers and one part-time Orthodontist giving a full-time equivalent
of 6.3 Dental Officers compared with 7.3 for 1968. The Authority also
employs one Dental Auxiliary as compared with a full-time equivalent
of 1.6 previously. Four sessions per week were devoted to orthodontics
by the Orthodontist and two by one of the Dental Officers.
'There has been less disruption of the work of the Dental Clinics
during 1969 due to changes in Dental Officer staff, but the vacancy
for a full-time Dental Officer has existed since last May. Every effort
has been made to maintain the service by the employment, when
available, of sessional Dental Officers, but it has not been possible to
carry out inspections of all schools attached to a clinic where a fulltime
vacancy exists. The re-organisation of schools carried out during
the year caused by the Borough's Comprehensive Education Scheme
also meant that some children missed dental inspection. 19,561 first
inspections and 2,446 re-inspections were carried out. In addition,
607 pre-school children were inspected.
'Twenty sessions were devoted to Dental Health Education during
the year when talks were given on this important subject to Parentcraft
Groups in Clinics and to children in schools. In addition, a second
visit was arranged through the General Dental Council of Pierre, the
Clown, who, during a week of school visits, distributed nearly 10,000
apples supplied free through the Fruit Producers' Council.
'A report on the Borough Dental Service received during the
year from the Department of Education and Science stated, " Compared
with the national average the standard of treatment is good, with
twice as many permanent teeth filled to each extracted and three times
as many deciduous teeth filled to each extracted. The lower than
average number of children seen at school inspections who required
treatment, and the higher than average number who seek treatment
from the School Dental Service indicates that the Authority's efforts
are successful".
'The comparatively low average number of children who require
treatment is not, in my opinion, due to a low incidence of dental
disease in the district, but to the availability of treatment in the
General Dental Service as well as the School Service, the high rate
of annual school dental inspections which alert parents to their children's
dental needs, to the recall system operated in the School Dental
Clinics and to Dental Health Education.
'In addition, the Orthodontic Service is much appreciated by
parents and children and this service is now more comprehensive as
fixed appliances are supplied when necessary.
'The gradual improvement of clinic equipment has been maintained
with the fitting of new units at Middleton Road and Meopham
Road Clinics and a new X-ray machine. Authority was given during
the year for provision to be made to instal three new operating lights
and two air turbine engines during 1970.'
The statistics relating to the School Dental Service are given
below:—
Statistics for Year 1969
Number of pupils on the register of maintained Primary, Middle
and High Schools including nursery and special schools in January,
1970, as in Forms 7, 7m and 11 schools: 24,511.
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