[Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Lincoln City.

  • Lincoln (England). City Council.
Date:
1955
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1955] / Medical Officer of Health, Lincoln City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    83/90 (page 79)
    REPORT OF PRINCIPAL SCHOOL DENTAL OFFICER Dental treatment is provided for children attending schools administered by the Lincoln Education Authority, under Section 48 of the Education Act, 1944. During the year the surgery at Beaumont Fee was transferred to 34 New- land and brought more in line with modern requirements. The Beaumont Fee premises were still in use at the end of the year for anaesthetic sessions owing to the absence of a recovery room at the new premises—this defect will, it is hoped, be overcome during the ensuing year. These improvements have led to improved working conditions and the freshness of the new surgery appeals to the patients but shows up the need for similar improve¬ ments in the other surgery. In an analysis of the figures below it should be noted that for 2| months the authority had the services of one part time dental officer only. This covered the period that elapsed between the departure of my predecessor and my arrival in October. This break emphasised the weakness in the scheme as it stands, viz: only 6173 children out of 11218 were inspected and the high proportion of extractions to fillings. However, as long as the acute shortage of public Dental Officers exists the amount of treatment that should be done is very seriously curtailed. The staff at present consists of one whole time dental officer, the P.S.D.O. and one part time. To maintain an adequate standard of oral hygiene four whole time dental officers would be required. In an effort to improve the staffing position the local dental committee was approched regarding part time service, but with no success. Since October we have been fortunate in securing the services of two consultant anaesthetists for one session each, weekly. Since I have been on duty for a small part of the year I cannot give a full picture of the dental service but would like to thank the members of the Education Committee, the Chief Education Officer and the Medical Officer of Health, also the dental staff for the help they have given me. The following is a summary of the work carried out during the year, for school children:— 1955 1954 No. inspected (Routine age groups) .. 6173 8196 Referred for treatment .. 3965 4414 No. actually treated .. 2689 1570 Half days devoted to inspection 25 37 „ ,, „ treatment .. 608 783 Fillings .. 2053 1905 Extractions .. 2605 2772 General anaesthetics .. 1009 970 Other operations .. .. 3593 4768 E. M. YOUNG, l.d.s., Principal School Dental Officer.