Page 4 - 2017-2018_CFS_Dental_AnnualReport

Innovation in Practice:
Dental Sealant Project
During the the 2015-2016 year Children’s Friend and and Samuels developed and and implemented an an an an an innovative pilot project to to to to apply dental sealants sealants to to to to primary teeth teeth Sealants are are are coatings that are are are applied to to to to the the the chewing surfaces of of back teeth teeth teeth and and act as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a barrier to to to to to keep out plaque and and food aiding in in in in the the the prevention of of cavities Although sealants sealants are are are are recommended for school-age children2 they are less commonly applied to to baby teeth teeth In the the the the the the first year of the the the the the the project project 11 children received sealants with no child child developing cavities after the the the the the the sealant sealant application Based on on these encouraging and and positive results the the the the the the project project was expanded during the the the the the the 2016 – 2017 program year year to to include screening all students within Children’s Friend’s five Pre-K classrooms Ninety children were screened at at at the the the beginning of of the the the school year year as as candidates to to receive receive sealants and and 20 received a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sealant sealant application Once again the the the results were very positive with no child’s teeth showing any evidence of of decay This This program program year year (2017-2018) nearly 70% of of children children children eligible or or 41 children children children received sealants This This doubles the the number of of of children children children receiving this oral health benefit from the the the previous program program year year The project continues to to show evidence of of success in in in in in preventing and mitigating primary tooth decay which sets the the stage for improved oral oral health “This project has continued to be successful ” shared Dr George Dupont pediatric dentist at at at Samuels Sinclair Dental Center “For the the the the the the third year in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a row we we saw that none of the the the the the the children who received sealants had developed cavities after the the the the the the the application Although the the the the the the the sealant sealant sealant material does wear away eventually the the the the the the the results seem to indicate the the the the the the the sealants have been effective at at at reducing the the the incidence of cavities ” Permission to to apply sealants has been added to to the the the the dental exam consent consent forms for for for the the the the 2018-2019 school year This streamlines the the the the the the consent consent process for for for families and and it fit is is is is hoped that this this change will increase the the the the the the number of of children who receive sealants on on on their teeth We continue to be be be proud of of this this innovative project and and the the the the the oral health benefits it provides the the children in our program 2 2 2 National National Institutes of of of Health National National Institute Institute of of of Dental and Craniofacial Research (August 2017) Seal Out Tooth Decay: A A booklet for parents parents NIH Publication No 17-489 Retrieved from: https://www nidcr nih gov/sites/default/files/2017-11/seal-out-tooth-decay- parents parents pdf