Integration of Dental Sealant Program in Inner City School System

The UB Sealant Program provided free dental screenings, sealants, oral hygiene instruction and dental health education to school children in the Buffalo Public School District, Buffalo, NY. Schools were selected based on the federal nutritional low-income lunch program, of which 82% of children qualified for this program in Buffalo, NY. OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to seal at least 50% of the children seen as recommended by Healthy People 2010; provide referrals for immediate dental care needs for school children in Buffalo, and to provide overall dental education on the importance of dental sealants to school nurses,educators, and the general public. METHODS: Classroom presentations were given to children during school and permission slips sent home to parents prior to screening and sealing. Using portable equipment, a pediatric dentist performed the oral screenings, and a dental hygienist sealed the children's teeth. Children who required immediate attention were referred to a pediatric dentist or hospital dental clinic. RESULTS: There are 35 primary schools in the Buffalo Public School District, of which 883 children in 17 schools were received parental consent and participated in the UB Sealant Program. Of the 883, 771 (87%) of children received dental sealants. Of the 883 children who were screened, 142 (16%) required immediate dental attention, and by the end of the pilot program, follow up phone calls to the parents revealed that 47 (33%) of the children had received dental treatment. CONCLUSION: This pilot program indicated that while there are pediatric dentists and hospital dental clinics available to children living in this urban community, they are not receiving the dental care that they need for their age group.

Funding paid for by a grant from the New York State Department of Health.