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There are 15 surgeries including the one at Hutton Poplars Children's
Home. In addition one has been equipped at the Geffrye School for Physically
Handicapped children and this will be brought into use early in 1969. It has
not proved possible to open the surgery at Woodberry Down Comprehensive School
as the room is being used for another purpose. This is greatly regretted, as
it would save the children a great deal of time spent travelling elsewhere
for treatment. The surgery at 28 Lower Clapton Road has been closed and the
equipment transferred to the Hackney School Treatment Centre (Goulton Road).
Close contact has been maintained with local general dental practitioners
through the Hackney Division of the Inner London Local Dental Committee.
Problems of mutual interest are constantly discussed between them and the
Principal School Dental Officer.
INSPECTIONS
With increased clerical assistance it was found possible to inspect the
whole school population. The actual figure was 108.2% of the total number of
school children. The extraneous number was due to the fact that (a) there was a
constant coming and going of children in and out of the Borough, (b) many children
who live in the Borough but go out to school still attend Hackney clinics for
inspection and treatment and (c) at the beginning of the year some schools from
a neighbouring Borough were still being inspected. Of those examined 69%
needed treatment, compared with 70% in 1967. Out of the children replying to an
offer of treatment 56% elected to receive it from the school dental service.

This means that the average child entering school in Hackney had 3.7
teeth which had already decayed. Every second child already had a tooth
extracted. In addition 60 per cent did not have healthy gums.
TREATMENT
8,397 children attended on 27,653 occasions to receive 23,345 fillings and
have 3,520 teeth extracted. Thus 587 fewer children attended than in 1967.
It was not possible to treat more because of the enormous amount of work time
spent on school dental inspections and dental health education. Also, it is
more time consuming to see children for fillings than to take out their teeth.
It is right to examine all these children even though the Council is not yet
in a position to fully treat them all. Only in this way will the real need
become apparent and a service planned for the future. Further, it brings the
parents attention to the fact that treatment is required. In spite of the
foregoing there was an increase in the number of deciduous teeth filled.

A welcome result of the decreased number of extractions was a reduction
of 757 individual general anaesthetics, and 39 general anaesthetic sessions.
16.4 per cent of all general anaesthetic sessions in the Inner London Education
Authority area were held in Hackney.