107. During the year Government officers made 12,414 visits to dental clinics for treatment, whilst families made 10,888,-a total of 28,802 visits and an increase of 3,880 over the previous year. 8,680 teeth were filled or crowned and 842 prosthetic appliances were fitted. The ratio of teeth conserved to teeth lost through gross caries or periodontal disease was almost 1 to 1.
108. The General Service, in addition to its treatment of Government officers and families in clinics, is also responsible for the treatment of in-patients of Government Hospitals, and prisoners at Victoria, Stanley and Lai Chi Kok Prisons. A restricted service is also provided for poor people in the urban and rural areas. Special clinics are held for these members of the public; twice a week in both Hong Kong and Kowloon and once a month in Tai Po, Yuen Long, Cheung Chau and Tai 0. During the year a total of 15,836 poor persons were seen, 143 of whom had to be admitted to hospital for oral surgery. At these special clinics, treatment is directed solely to the relief of pain and 18,851 teeth were extracted.
The School Dental Service.
109. The number of school children was estimated to be 250,000 and it is calculated that each year a further 25,000 children will become of school age. Of this total, about 50,000 subscribed to the Schnal Health Service. For the dental treat- ment of this large number only 6 dental officers were available by the end of the year, giving a ratio of 1 dental officer to 8,333 children. 24,785 inspections were carried out, and 19,625 children were found to require treatment-79.18% of those inspected. 5,696 fillings were inserted and for every 100 fillings inserted 560 teeth were lost through dental caries which had progressed beyond the point where conservative treatment was possible. These figures are given more realism when compared with the New Zealand figures for school children where for every 100 fillings inserted only 6 teeth are lost through gross dental caries,
110. It is recognized that the service is inadequate. Future participants have had to be limited to 42,000, owing to the
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staffing problem, which is under consideration. Several dental clinics were operated by welfare organizations either for their own members or for the poor in their respective vicinities. The Hong Kong Dental Society continued toʻstaff 3 free evening clinics per week in Hong Kong and 1 in Kowloon while the St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade despatched a Squad, which included a dental surgeon, to the more remote areas in the New Territories every Sunday, bringing free treatment to poor persons unable to obtain it otherwise.
111. A dental scholarship scheme was introduced in 1954 to ensure that a sufficient number of well qualified dental surgeons will be available to replace the natural losses to the Dentists' Register by retirement or death of the older practitioners in the Colony. In 1955/56, 9 scholarships were awarded. The first year's study is spent in Hong Kong University, the remaining 4 years in the Dental School of the University of Malaya.
Control of Dental Practice.
112. Two dental inspectors were employed on duties in connexion with the control and supervision of private dental practice in the Colony. They regularly inspected premises used, or proposed to be used, by dentists. There were no cases of illegal dental practice during the year.
Out-patient Services.
113. The greatest volume of medical work done in the Colony is handled at the out-patient centres. Because of the shortage of beds many types of cases have to be treated as out-patients which would normally be regarded as in-patient cases.
114. The out-patient services of the Medical Department are conducted by three major general polyclinics, 2 on the island and 1 in Kowloon, 1 specialist polyclinic in Wanchai for chest diseases, physiotherapy and dentistry, 10 dispensaries in the urban area and 12 rural health centres in the New Territories. Many of these smaller dispensaries and rural centres are con- ducted in adapted premises quite unsuitable for the purpose and plans are being formulated progressively to replace them with modern properly designed clinies, which will greatly increase