Dental Work in the Division

The organisation of the Dental Corps in the Division continued to function as it had done in the North African campaigns. Dentists were attached to each of the forward medical units, and a mobile dental unit was set up alongside the MDS carrying out for the time being the treatment of the sick. The corps worked smoothly and efficiently and maintained a very high standard of dental health in the Division.

An illustration of the amount of work performed is given by the record of the work of the mobile unit from December 1943 to March 1944. During that period 10,000 troops were examined, 6000 fillings and 550 extractions carried out, and no fewer than 5330 page 551 troops made dentally fit. The dentists attached to the field ambulances and the CCS carried out dental work in addition to the work performed by the dental unit. The dental officers did not restrict themselves to their own professional work but assisted generally in the work of the medical units. In active periods they commonly administered anaesthetics as well as lending their help in other professional and administrative activities, help much appreciated by the medical officers with whom they were so intimately associated.