— ft
In summary, essentialiy no dental services are provided
two urban centers.
A traditional
outside of the
lack of fluoride and
consumption of refined sugar has produced an epidemic of dental
increasing
disease.
A
systematic program of fluoride application, early detection ahd treatment,
and dietary education is needed to siow down the epidemic.
|The existing
dental
fload through
staff may be able to handle the
additional
work
reorganization, but the transportation limitations make thiq
impractical
for many atolls.
Recommendations
1.
Improve the equipment and supplies at Majuro and Ebe
so adequate
secondary level dental care is available at each site.
2.
Add selected manpower (see section IX) to provide for
re effective
working ratios.
3.
Develop in-service education, either in-nation or abroa ,; to maintain
skills in each area.
4.
Incorporate
the
application,
early
education
assistants
into
dental
public
detection
and
the curriculum and
health
simple
functions
extractions,
in-service
educatio
of
fluoride
and
dietary
for medica]
(medex) ‘and health assistants so these sewvices can be
available on outer islands through the regular health nqtwork.
2.
Physical Therapy
The services of a physica] therapist are extremely impprtant in the
management of some acute and many chronic conditions.
As thelfcategories of
disease change more and more to that found in industrialized
gocieties with
more of the cardiovascular heaith problems, there is more andimore need for
physical therapy services.
orthopedic disabilities.
Services are needed for victims of
“stroke” and
At the present time there is neefl
of physical
therapy for victims of polio with varying degrees of paralygis.
and will
always be a need for physical
injuries
to
prevent
deformity
and
therapy services
maximize
residual
There is
For traumatic
funttion.
contractures and functiona}] limitations could be eliminated of
reduced with
appropriate physical therapy begun shortly after injuries or [burns.
24
Many