Evening star., 1944-11-19
Denial Defects Risino
Among D. c. Students,
Health Official Says

Sixty per cent OF students in the
Districts senior high schools and
- per cent of the students In Junior
high schools have dental defects,
according to survey just completed
BY Dr.. A. Harry Ostrow, director Of
the Bureau Of Dental Services Of
the Health Department.
These figures, it. was pointed out,
represent an increase over last year,
when SIS per cent Of the senior high
students had dental defects and SO
per cent Of the junior high pupils
had defects. The survey also re-
vealed that 1,237 high school
students had never been to q
dentist.
Unless drastic and energetic ef-
forts are made, the dental condi-
ton among high school pupils will
be even worse next year." Health
Oficer George G. Rutland declared
yesterday in releasing DR.. Ostrow's
report. This is q challenge to the
patriotism Of all who are interested
in and concerned with physical fit
ness" he added.
Many Dentists in Service.
DR.. Rutland said the withdrawal
Of dentists from the city into the
armed forces has seriously affected
the dental situation in Washington
Out Of TOO District dentists, he said
100 had been drawn into the armed
services during the war and that
many District institutions had been
without dentist for more than
q year.
The dental report, based on q
survey Of 30,675 students in senior
and junior high schools, found that
2,342 students had teeth 80 bad
that they showed no care at all.
1t was also found that only 20 pei
cent of the senior high students had
completely corrected defects found
last year. The percentage of students
with complete corrections varied
from a low Of 7 per cent in one
school to IS per cent in another
school.
Some Schools Show Progress.
The percentage of dental defects
was found to be considerably higher
in the Negro group than in white
schools. In the senior high schools
So per cent Of the white students
had dental defects. compared with
80 per cent In the Negro.
In commenting on the survey, DR.
Ostrow declared:
TT Is very encouraging to see the
progress that has been made in 9
few schools, rejecting to high de-
gree the cooperation of parents and
teachers with the Health Depart.
ment's program. This should be an
incentive to all schools to improve
their records.
'The relatively poor showing In
some Of the schools Is direct re-
suit Of wartime conditions as re-
flected in the manpower shortage
among professional groups. The
dental profession In Washington Is
making q noble effort to cope with
the situation, and the public should
be willing to wait patiently for
dental appointments that at the
present time are held at q pre-
MUM.
Institutions Lack Dentists.
Parents whose children are In
need of dental correction should
make every effort to secure future
dental appointments from their
family dentists in advance, and
should be willing to wait their
turn"
DR.. Ruhland said the dental
bureau Of his own department had
lost nine dentists to the armed serv-
ices. with only six of the vacancies
filled.
Glenn Dale Sanatorium, which
has been without a dentist for more
than q year, has recently had one
assigned from the bureau, DR.. Ruh-
land said. However, he added, the
District Jail, Blue Plains Home for
the Aged and the District Training
School at Laurel, Md, are without
dentists.
"The situation Is very serious, /"
the health officer concluded.