ENG-1961 — Page 187

152

HEALTH

and dutiable commodities. A considerable amount of investigation into the standard of commodities supplied to Government under contract is also performed.

DENTAL SERVICES

A dental survey undertaken in 1960 revealed that 90% of children have already experienced dental decay by the time they begin primary school at six years old. To combat this, the fluorida- tion of the Colony's urban water supplies began in March and it is confidently anticipated that future generations will show a marked reduction in the incidence of dental caries.

The Government dental service is organized in two sections, a general service and a school service. The general service under- takes the treatment of monthly-paid Government employees and their dependants, of in-patients in Government hospitals and of prisoners. It also provides an emergency service for the public at certain clinics, for the relief of pain and for extractions. The School Dental Service carries out routine examinations and treat- ment for the School Health Service.

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At the end of the year there were 25 Government dental clinics in operation and in addition a Government mobile dental unit serves those parts of the New Territories which are directly accessible by road.

A number of welfare organizations maintain free or low cost dental clinics, many dentists giving their services voluntarily for this purpose. The Hong Kong Dental Society also operates free evening clinics at welfare centres in Hong Kong and Kowloon. The St John Ambulance Brigade, as well as maintaining Sunday visits by medical teams, which include dentists, to remote areas of the New Territories, operates a dental clinic at its headquarters where civilian and military dentists treat under-privileged children free of charge.

Two mobile dental clinics operated by the Church World Service since 1959 and by the Lutheran World Service since 1960 also provide free or low cost dental treatment for poor people in the New Territories, in resettlement areas and in orphanages and mis- sionary hospitals. In addition, the Lutheran World Service operates a dental clinic in its Fanling Hospital.