School-Based Dental Sealant Programs

Introduction

Sealants prevent tooth decay and also stop cavities from growing. The Surgeon General’s report on oral health indicates that sealants can reduce decay in school children by more than 70 percent.

On this page:

• What Are Dental Sealants?
• What are School-Based Sealant Programs?
• The Scientific Evidence Shows that School-Based Sealant Programs Work
• CDC Workgroup Examines the Scientific Evidence about Specific Program Practices

What Are Dental Sealants?

Sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the tiny grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. This is where most tooth decay in children and teens occurs. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from decay by keeping germs and pieces of food out.

Learn more about sealants, including how they help prevent tooth decay and how they are applied, from this Dental Sealants Fact Sheet.

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What are School-Based Sealant Programs?

School-based or school-linked dental sealant delivery programs provide sealants to children unlikely to receive them otherwise. Such programs—

• Define a target population within a school district.
• Verify unmet need for sealants.
• Get financial, material, and policy support.
• Apply rules for selecting schools and students.
• Enroll students at school.
• Apply sealants at school or offsite in clinics.

Many programs target what are referred to as high-risk children. High-risk children include vulnerable populations less likely to receive private dental care, such as children eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch programs.

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The Scientific Evidence Shows that School-Based Sealant Programs Work

Findings from scientific studies clearly show that school-based dental sealant programs work to stop tooth decay.

The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends school sealant programs and issued a strong endorsement* (PDF–58K) in 2001. In 2003, the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) published a Best Practice Approach Report.* This report reviews the scientific evidence that school sealant programs work and presents specific examples of practices in state programs.

School-based sealant programs are especially important for reaching children at highest risk for tooth decay. Tooth decay may result in pain and other problems that affect learning in school-age children. Learn more by reading Oral Health and Learning* (PDF–81K). This report addresses the following:

• Lost school time.
• Oral health and learning.
• Nutrition and learning.
• Programs for improving oral health.

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CDC Expert Workgroup Examines Scientific Evidence Supporting Practices in School-Based Sealant Programs

The CDC-sponsored expert workgroup reviewed current guidelines for sealant use in school-based programs and evaluated scientific studies of specific program practices.

These practices included sealing tooth decay in its earliest stages, using specific techniques to place sealants, and making sure that sealants stay on the tooth over time. Several studies are now published from these reviews.

• “The Effectiveness of Sealants in Managing Caries Lesions,”* Journal of Dental Research. February 2008. This study shows that if sealants are placed over early tooth decay, they will stop early decay from becoming a cavity. This information should lessen concerns about accidentally sealing over decay.
• “The Effect of Dental Sealants on the Bacteria Levels in Caries Lesions: A Review of the Evidence,”* Journal of the American Dental Association. March 2008. This study shows that sealing over tooth decay lowers the number of bacteria in the cavity by at least 100-fold.
• “Exploring Four-handed Delivery and Retention of Resin-based Sealants,”* Journal of the American Dental Association. March 2008. For sealants to work they must stay in place or be retained on the tooth. This study concludes that having a second person to assist in placing the sealant (four-handed technique) may improve sealant retention.

The American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs used findings from the CDC expert workgroup to develop a report that provides evidence-based clinical recommendations* (PDF–244K) for using dental sealants.

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Related Links

• Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General
• Sealant Efficiency Assessment for Locals and States (SEALS)
• Seal America: The Prevention Invention*

One or more documents on this Web page is available in Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need Acrobat Reader to view and print these documents.

* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.