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The School Nurses during the year made 2189 visits to
homes in connection with Dental Treatment.
Mr. Chas.R.Shattock, M.R.C.S. L.D.S., one of the
previous part time Dentists writes
'The Clinics both routine and emergency have been
'well attended and as a consequence, the results achieved
'compare very favourably with those embodied in past
'reports.
'The emergency Clinic in particular has shown
'increasing expansion and bears evidence of it's great
'usefulness in the treatment and relief of those children
'who, by reason of age, are not eligible for the routine
'Clinic. I have had the opportunity recently, especially
'at the second inspections of noting the great improve'ment
in the condition of the children's mouths which
'provides ample and very gratifying justification for
'the adoption of the principles of school dental treat'ment.
'I venture to make the following suggestion which I
'think:) would increase the usefulness of the Dental
'Clinic - attention toy and treatment of the teeth as a
'routine measure commencing at the age of 5 years of age
'instead of six as at present.,'
Mr.C Hammond Williams, L.D.S., the second part time
dentist writes :-
'Comparison with the report for 1919 is favourable,,
'The attendance is better - this is chiefly noticeable
'in the cases of re-inspection. On the whole the Clinic
'is now in very satisfactory working order, the patients
'seem to be more tractable,, The prejudice of ignorant
'parents is still present though not so evident, The
'improvement in this respect I can only ascribe to two
'factors (l) the unfailing tact and experience of the
'Nurses in dealing with the parents and secondly the
'general improvement already noticeable in the children
'treated.'
Miss Loretz, L.D.S., the present whole time dentist
agrees that the age of 5 years is the best for commencing the
routine treatment, and I also agree with this from my
observations of the children seen at the Routine Inspections.,
I am also glad to notice the excellent condition of the
mouths of children of 8 to 12 years of age who haye been
treated by the dental surgeons at an earlier periods
(i) Crippling defects and Orthopaedics.
Twelve children were observed with lateral curvature
of the spine, while sixty-four were seen with other defects,
most of these being due to old Rickets.
Most of the cases of lateral curvature wero treated by
one of the School Nurses (Nurse Bevis), who is qualified in
this remedial treatment. The children attended the Clinic on
Saturday mornings and received exercises,massage,etc., and
the parents were instructed as to home exercises.
Other cases were referred to medical practioners or
hospitals for treatment.
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