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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Oral Health
Mail Stop F-10
4770 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30341

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Infrastructure Development Tools

Activity 10: Establish and Expand School-Based/School-Linked Dental Sealant Programs

School-based and school-linked dental sealant programs are well-recognized as an effective approach for preventing tooth decay. Some programs provide pit and fissure sealants to children in a school setting, and others involve private dental practices or public dental clinics serving children directed to their clinics by the school program.

School-based and -linked programs in the United States generally target vulnerable populations that are less likely to receive dental care, such as children eligible for free and reduced lunch programs. When developing, coordinating, and implementing a school-based/-linked program, a state oral health program should

  • Describe and document the number of eligible public elementary or secondary schools, and existing related oral health assets.
     
  • Document that infrastructure is in place to coordinate and manage school-based or school-linked dental sealant programs and show collaborative working relationships and formal agreements (e.g., memorandum of agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other written agreement between the state health department and the state educational agency).
     
  • Develop school-based or school-linked dental sealant programs targeting elementary or secondary schools that meet established criteria. CDC grantees focus on public elementary and secondary schools located in
    • Urban areas in which more than 50% of the student population of that school or school entity is participating in federal or state free and reduced meal programs; or
    • Rural school districts having a median income that is at or below 235% of the federal poverty line.
       
  • Evaluate the accomplishments, efficiency, and effectiveness of school-based/school-linked dental sealant programs.  An in-depth cost analysis also may improve program efficiency.

Additional Resources

Comprehensive Dental Sealant Program Logic Model pdf icon(PDF–33K)

Sealant Efficiency Assessment for Locals and States (SEALS)

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.

Date last reviewed: September 21, 2007
Date last modified: August 27, 2007
Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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