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25
Children
Although 111 more children were seen they attended for 437 less visits
than in 1971. 44.5% of the children were made dentally fit (46.1% in 1971).
The number of failed appointments was again very high. Patients and parents
who failed to keep appointments do not seem to realise the amount of extra
work they cause the service and how unfair they are being on persons who
might have been treated in their place. the ratio of teeth filled to teeth
extracted was 22.2 : 1 (16 : 1 in 1971). the average output of fillings
per treatment session was 7.28 fillings.
Mothers
The number of pregnant and nursing mothers attending clinics appears
to be getting less. If this means that they are going to see their own
general dental practitioners this is a situation which should be encouraged.
It means that clinics are then left free for the comprehensive dental care
of children which, in my opinion, is the right thing. Hie ratio of teeth
filled to teeth extracted was 5.5 : 1 (6.1 : 1 in 1971).