HC Deb 07 February 1962 vol 653 cc417-8
26. Mr. Manuel

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children have no regular school dental service; and how many more dentists would be required to give full dental coverage.

Mr. Maclay

About a hundred more dentists are needed to provide adequate regular dental inspection. Treatment is a less serious problem as the parents of most of the children requiring it prefer to use the general dental service.

Mr. Manuel

Is not this lack of staff and withering of the service a quite deplorable state of affairs? The Secretary of State will be aware that certain local authorities have decided that they are to allow children off from classes to attend outside dentists. Would it not be a great saving of educational time if the preservation of teeth and dental care were done in dental clinics in the school? Will he tell the House how he is to recruit the necessary dentists in order that the work can take place at the schools?

Mr. Maclay

I agree that this is highly desirable and discussions are going on about it, but the hon. Member should appreciate that only three of every eight parents offered treatment through the dental service accept it the rest prefer to use the normal service.

Mr. Woodburn

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that dentists in Scotland are extremely worried about the condition of children's teeth which they consider to be largely due to the overeating of sweets? Can he not have some research made to see whether something can be done to ensure that children obtain the necessary vitamins to protect teeth against decay due to sweet-eating?

Mr. Maclay

The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that we have just launched a big campaign to try to encourage children to eat sweets at more sensible times. I am sure at any rate that the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr. Manuel) would be an advocate of happy smiles.

Mr. Manuel

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that what I am concerned about is not the extraction aspect of this problem but the regular and urgent examination of children's teeth at school in order to ensure preservation? That is the aspect to which the right hon. Gentleman should apply his mind and not the actual dental work ensuing from inspection.

Mr. Maclay

I do not disagree with the hon. Member.