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What is the dental sealant program? |
The
dental sealant program provides preventative dental sealants to
school children in the second and sixth grades. A dentist, dental hygienist
and dental assistant travel to areas schools to screen children for tooth
decay and place dental sealants as needed. |
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What is a dental sealant? |
A
dental sealant is a thin plastic coating that is applied to chewing surfaces
of the molars, or back teeth that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush.
Molars have pits and fissures where food can get stuck, in turn making
molars more susceptible to cavities. By applying dental sealants to fill in
the pits and fissures the risk of decay is decreased. |
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How
are dental sealants applied? |
Applying dental sealants is a simple process that only takes a few minutes
and can be done by a dental hygienist. The tooth is cleaned, dried off, and
then the sealant is painted on. It takes about a minute for the sealant to
dry and begin offering protection. |
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How
does the Health Department’s dental sealant program work? |
The
dental sealant program has three parts: education/consent, examination by a
dentist and then the placement of the sealants by a dental hygienist.
About three weeks before
the students are to be examined, a dental hygienist or a dental assistant will present an
educational program to the children about tooth decay and the need for
sealants. A packet of information and consent forms is sent home for the
children’s parents to review and sign, and then return back to the school.
A volunteer dentist will
see those children whose parents have given permission. The dentist will
examine their teeth for signs of decay, and direct the hygienist as to which
teeth need sealants. If the dentist finds signs of decay, the school nurse
will refer the child to a dentist in their area.
Over the next week, the hygienist will place sealants
on the children’s teeth. The process only takes a few minutes, requires no
drilling, no shots and is painless. The hygienist cleans the tooth, rinses it and
then paints the sealant on. It takes about a minute for the sealant to
harden to
form a protective shield, much like a helmet that football players wear to
protect their heads from injury. |
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Are
the sealants visible? |
Sealants are usually clear, white or slightly tinted and are placed only on
the chewing surface of molars or back teeth. They can be seen upon close examination, but are
not visible when a child smiles or talks. |
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How
long do sealants last? |
One
sealant application can last for up to 10 years, but they should be checked
during regular visits to the dental office. |
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How
effective are sealants? |
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children who receive sealants in school-based programs
have 60 percent fewer instances of decay for up to five years after the
sealants are applied.
School-based sealant programs provide sealants to children unlikely to
receive them otherwise. According to the CDC, children of racial and ethnic
minorities have about three times more untreated tooth decay. |
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Who
is eligible for the sealant program? |
Sealants are typically placed on the 6-year and
12-year molars, soon after they erupt. The Health Department’s sealant
program will screen children in the second and sixth grades, the time when
the molars typically erupt.
Schools must request the sealant program. Only those schools in Boone,
Campbell, Kenton and Grant counties with at least 40 percent of students
eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches may participate.
In
order for a child to have his/her teeth sealed, he/she must bring back a
signed consent form from a parent or guardian. |
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What is the dentist’s role in the sealant program?
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A
local dentist examines the children’s teeth for signs of decay on the
first morning of the sealant program. He or she will then dictate which
teeth need to be sealed to the hygienist, and the hygienist will then place
the sealants.
Dentists who
participate in the program must accept Medicaid. Each dentist is asked to adopt three schools. The dentists typically spend two
hours in each school, and dentists are asked to commit
approximately six hours of their time. |
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Why
did the Health Department start this program? |
Similar programs have been in place in other areas (including Greater
Cincinnati) for many years, and have proven to be very effective. Until
recently, Kentucky law prevented dental hygienists from applying sealants
without a dentist physically present. That law was revised in July 2002 to
allow hygienists to apply sealants with orders from a dentist.
The dental sealant program
was the result of two years of preparation by the
Health Department’s Dental Sealant Task Force, made up of Health Department
staff, local dental health professionals, school health coordinators and
members of the community. |
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What kind of equipment is used? |
The
sealant program has portable equipment like what you would find in a typical
dentist’s office, including a chair, light, autoclave, air/water and suction
machine.
The
equipment is transported to each school, and set up where space permits on
the first day of sealants. The equipment is left in place until the sealants
have been finished.
All
equipment and instruments are properly disinfected and sterilized by the
dental assistant. Sterilization of instruments will take place in a dry heat
sterilizer. |
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How
is the sealant program funded? |
The
Health Department received $32,000 from the state of Kentucky in fiscal year
2004 to begin its sealant program. An additional $16,000 a year has been
pledged by the state to continue the program.
Additional funding comes from local health department funds and Medicaid
reimbursement, as well as fees.
Children
who are not eligible for Medicaid--whether they have insurance or not, or
are participating in the State Medical Assistance/Medicaid Program, will
have to pay a nominal fee for the sealants. The cost is $0.25 for the exam
by the dentist, and $0.25 per tooth sealed.
The maximum number of teeth that can be sealed is four for a second grader,
and eight for a sixth grader, so the maximum amount charged is $1.25 for a
second grader and $2.25 for a sixth grader. |
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How
many children have dental sealants? |
In a 2001 survey, the Kentucky Department for Public Health and the
University of Kentucky found that 30 percent of third and sixth graders in
the northern region (Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Grant, Carroll, Owen,
Pendleton, Bracken, Robertson, Mason, Fleming and Lewis counties) had dental
sealants. Many of these children may have received the sealants from their
private dentist.
In
the state of Kentucky, 29.1 percent of third and sixth graders had sealants.
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How
many children in Kentucky have dental insurance? |
The
2001 survey of Kentucky children’s oral health found that in the northern
region, 18.6 percent of children had no dental coverage. An additional 19
percent were covered by Medicaid or the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance
Program.
Statewide, 21.2 percent of children had no dental insurance. An additional
29 percent were covered by Medicaid or the Kentucky Children’s Health
Insurance Program.
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Which schools are participating in the program? |
Click here
for a list of participating schools. |
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Where can I get more information on dental health or the dental sealant
program? |
If
you are interested in learning more about the dental sealant program, please
contact Carrie Gould, Dental Hygiene Supervisor, at 859.341.4264, ext. 2035.
For
more information about dental health online, visit the following sites:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Oral Health Resources
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
American Association of Public Health Dentistry
American Dental Association
American Dental Hygienists'
Association
Kentucky Oral Health Program
Kentucky Youth Advocates: Children's Dental Health Access in Kentucky
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