Evening star., 1952-02-27
Miss Forrest
One Of British
Dental Group
By Ruth Deon

A woman dentist. Miss Jean r.
Forrest. 10 one Of four members Of
o British Fluoridation Mission Just
arrived In this country for O study
OF what has and 10 being done to
put fiuorideS In city water supplies
as a preventive dental health
measure.
Although non-commital on
whether or not Great Britain con-
templates addition Of fiuorides to
It's water supply. Miss Forrest said
on her arrival here early this
week: I'VE want to learn all there
Is to know about fiuoridation of
water supplies"
I'VE are interested In the prob.
lem Of preventing tooth decay"
she said, land we want iflf6rffias
tlo1 from America that has done
30 much In this direction"
Representing the British Min.
istfy OF Health, ai6ha with br,
John t6f1gweli, scientific efiieeF In
the British Governments 6heffls
itsts' Department Miss Forrest IA
IN lfifWashihet6h for O week Of con-
fefehees with officials OF the
United States Public Health seFVz
Ice and the American Dental
Association,
Fhe ether members OF the mis-
son. representing R0hsaeVeFHs
lileht interests, include prof, II, II,
Stones OF the Medical Research
eelnelll and Dr., A, NJ, Fhemsen
OF the University OF Aberdeen,
Jolly, pleasant hammered and
proud OF her Scottish BarentAee lB
Aplte OF having spent The last a1
years OF her life In Hneland, Miss
Forrest IN Britain, dentists don't
Use the "Dr," RFehK unless they
hAvs II medical deeree) e0maA BY
her calling naturally,
with the exception OF my
father, l coma from A long line
OF doctors" she said matteFs0fu
faetly, 40 ] chose a sister pro-
fessl0nwdentlstFY," Selection Of
another vocation by her father
was the reason why Miss Forrest
was born IN far away Rang0en,
Burma Her parent WAS with the
British Indian Service She spent
most Of her giplh0ad In Scotland,
however, taking her dental train
ING AT the University Of GLASGOW
after which she went 10 England
10 practice,
Now a dentist efAeeF with the
Ministry OF Health, Miss Forrest
for the past three or four years
has been engaged In dental re-
search, She Is particularly inter-
ested In preventive dentistry that
will cut down the rate OF decay in
children's teeth,
A report on a survey Miss For
rest made of the effect of natural
fluorides on the teeth In six areas
where there were high and low
amounts of the element in the
water was published last year in
the Ministry Of Health bulletin,
The dental officer explained
that any decision affecting the
national health-addition of SUBJ
stances such as chlorine or huor-
ides to the water supply. for ex-
ample-"are usually done by
agreement with the Medical Re-
search Council"
Miss Forrest pointed out that
the rate of tooth decay in Britain
is about equal to that of the
United States. The fluoridation
mission is here not only to study
areas where fuorides have been
artificially added to the water but
to get the know how" on how it
is done, she explained. Miss For
rest plans to spend two months
in the United States.
Miss Forests interest in chill
dren's dentistry goes back many
years, but it met it's greatest test
in the days during the war when
in the midst of the blitz raids she
found herself in charge of a dis
trict outside of London with the
dental care of 1000 evacuee chill
dren on her hands. During sew
eral day time raids, she continued
her dental examinations in air
shelters.
Because shortage Of housing is
still acute and medical and dental
schools, due to overcrowded con-
ditions, are short on teaching