[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council.
- East Sussex (England). County Council
- Date:
- 1949
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, East Sussex County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![it is bad enough to prevent the County Council, as authority for education and health, pro- viding the standard of supervision and treatment it is willing and anxious to give. It will be seen from the report by the Senior Dental Officer that the demand for services provided by the Authority has lessened, partly owing perhaps to treatment by general dental prac- titioners being now available without extra charge. Dental Care of Mothers and Young Children, ig4g. Arrangements for the dental examination and treatment of expectant and nursing mothers and infants were on the same lines as in previous years. By the co-operation of the doctors, health visitors, nurses and midwives, these priority classes were able to apply for dental treatment under the County Council Scheme and appointments were then made by the dental officers for their examination and treatment where this was found to be necessary. The scheme is co-ordinated with the dental scheme for school children and treatment is carried out at County Clinics, or hired premises, and occasionally at Voluntary Infant Welfare Centres. X-rays and hospital treatment, when considered necessary by the Dental Officers, have been readily made available by the hospitals in the various districts. Dentures were provided for the patients needing them, the construction being carried out by firms of dental technicians. Statistics for the year are given in the tables below. (a) Numbers provided with denial care: Examined. Needing Treatment. Treated. Completed. Expectant and Nursing Mothers 311 301 281 341 Children under five 461 31^9 347 312 (b) Forms of dental treatment provided: Extrac- tions. General Anaes- thetics. Fillings. Scalings. Other opera- tions. Radio- graphs. Dentures provided Complete. Partial. Expectant and Nursing Mothers. . 1227 214 307 107 1195 6 161 131 Children under five 6go 222 278 — 275 — — ! - An encouraging feature is the increase shown in the figures for young children, reflecting a greater awareness of tire importance of dental hygiene in the very young. Undoubtedly, the logical approach to a dentally fit nation is througli initial concentration on this group which, unfortunately, is not possible. under present conditions. ' The number of dentures provided for expectant and nursing mothers (some having started treatment previously) is greater than last year, but otherwise there is a decline. This had been anticipated from the trend during the second half of 1948, after the introduction of the National Health Service Act had made it possible for them to obtain free treatment from private practitioners. It is often more convenient for this type of patient to visit a private dental surgery near her home than to travel, sometimes a considerable distance, to a central clinic where treatment sessions are usually held at weekly intervals. One dental officer joined the staff in January, but throughout the year the actual number employed was two below the authorised establishment. This County has been very fortunate in the loyalty of its dental officers despite the attractions of private practice. It is to be hoped, however, that the national negotiations which are now proceeding will come rapidly to a successful conclusion, and that this will result not only in retaining the Dental Officers in the Public Service, but attract more to it, so that the treatment schemes for priority classes may indeed be adequately staffed. P. S. P. JENKINS, Senior Dental Officer. Infant Welfare Centres. At the end of 1949, 71 Infant Welfare Centres were holding regular sessions : 65 were established by voluntary bodies and 6 by the County Council. The County Council as Health Authority continue the existing practice of repaying to the voluntary committees of Welfare Centres 100 per cent, of the approved running costs.-] As in the case of District Nursing Associations, the voluntary committees have found that there is as much need as ever for their interest and helpful support, and this opportunity is taken to thank them for continuing their work. During the year it was decided that “ approved expenses ” for the purpose of 100 peni cent, repayment would no longer include moneys expended on providing transport for mothers and children who lived too far from the nearest Welfare Centre to make their o^Wi](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29186870_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
