[Report 1936] / School Medical Officer of Health, Smethwick County Borough.
- Smethwick (Worcestershire, England). County Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1936
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1936] / School Medical Officer of Health, Smethwick County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
28/56 page 26
![In conclusion, I would like to ex})ress my thanks to the Head Teachers and the staffs of all the schools for their constant interest and help in the work of the Clinic.” Mr. J. Dallas Ilrodie, reports ; — “ This is my first annual report, having commenced as jjart- lime dental officer, September 2nd, 1935, so I cannot give com¬ parisons with previous years, but I hope the figures given herewith, will show that there is a general improvement in the children’s teeth at the schools, for whose treatment I am respon¬ sible. Ins])ected . 2,195 Attendances made by children for treatment . 2,326 Found to require treatment 1,604 Fillings Permanent Teeth . 1,187 Pdllings Temporary Teeth 129 Fillings Total . 1,316 Extractions Permanent Teeth . 245 Extractions Temporary Teeth . 1,580 Extractions Total . 1,825 Other operations, scaling, etc. 373 1 have noticed that since my second inspection of these children, there .has been a marked improvement in their dental htness, and that their mouths are now reasonably healthy, and in the case of the older children, they are now leaving with sound teeth. 1 make a special effort to see that this is done, as there is such a gap between school leaving age and the time when they can get their teeth attended to under the National Healtli Insurance. It is my hope to prevent the loss of their teeth during the years after they have left our care. It is my view, and I think that of my colleagues, that preventive dentistry is preferable to immediate treatment, or in simple terms, permanent fillings are preferable to permanent extractions. Of course, this “ utopia ” is not always possible, as one must have the full confidence and supi)ort of the parents of these children to attain this result. Still 1 must say that this is better now than when I first commenced, due to advising those parents who do conie to the clinic with their children, and have their interests at heart, and also to the hel]) and co-operation of the headmasters, headmistresses and teachers, who have seen that the children keep their appointments.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30091536_0028.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
