SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE (Extension to secondary schools and junior colleges)

Dr Ho Tat Kin asked the Acting Minister for Health how successful is the School Dental Service; and whether this service will be extended to secondary schools and junior colleges.

The Acting Minister for Health (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Sir, the School Dental Service provides a comprehensive dental health programme for about 95% of the primary school population through dental clinics located in the primary schools. When the School Dental Service first started in 1948, dental caries was rampant. Many teeth could not be saved and had to be extracted. With the introduction of water fluoridation and a succesful school dental health programme, the dental health of our children has improved considerably. The average number of Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth, or the DMF(T), index of our 12-year old children has decreased from six in 1958 to 2.5 in 1984. Our DMF(T) index is about one of the lowest in the world and compares very well with that of the developed countries. For example, Japan's DMF(T) index is 5.9, UK 3.1 and USA 2.6. Singapore, as I said, have a DMF(T) of 2.5 The School Dental Health programme has been extended to about 50% of secondary school students who make use of nearby primary school dental clinics.

Sir, my Ministry does not intend to build any dental clinics in secondary schools and junior colleges. Secondary school and junior college students will be encouraged to use existing school dental clinics and the dental centres at the Institute of Dental Health and the Pegu Road which provide free dental service for school children.

My Ministry will conduct dental screening for all secondary three children annually from this year onwards. Advice on their dental condition and treatment needs as well as reinforcement of their knowledge of dental health will be given.