Dental Ill-health
"The state of the dental health of our population is bad and it effect on their general health is bad." Such is the verdict of Inter-departmental Committtee on Dentistry which has just pre sented an Interim Report to the Ministry of Health. The evident shows that a disturbingly large proportion of the population at ages suffer from dental disease mainly caused by neglect. It i abundantly proved that the public does not understand the import o ance of dental hygiene—only 7 per cent. of insured persons in average year claim dental benefits to which they are entitled. Bu education, which ought to be provided through the schools an every other suitable agency, will not be enough till the facilities fo treatment exists. The fact that much ill-health springs from de fective teeth provides an unanswerable argument for setting up comprehensive dental health service as a part of the National Heal Service, and that is the most important recommendation in thi Report. It would have general dental practitioners on much lb same footing as general medical practitioners, and public servic for consultation and special treatment. Until this can be provid the National Health Service will not be complete. Unhappily,, shortage of dentists is even more acute than the shortage of docto It would take thirty years to get enough dentists even if the studen entry to the profession were increased by zo per cent. Strong induc ments will have to be offered to secure more recruits.
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