 Dental sealants,
a plastic coating applied over the decay-prone pits and fissures of teeth, have
proven through more than fifteen years of research to be a highly effective
means of preventing tooth decay.
A 1988-1990 statewide survey conducted by the Office of Oral Health showed that
over 80% of tooth decay in school age children was found in pits and fissures.
Yet, at the time of the survey, only 11% of the children examined had dental
sealants.
The Dental Sealant Program is a preventive program in which school age
children receive sealants on their permanent molars. The goal of the sealant
program is to reduce the incidence of pit and fissure dental decay in at-risk
school children. Using the Office of Oral Health's portable dental equipment set
up at the school site, the children receive a diagnostic dental exam and dental
sealants are applied to the appropriate teeth.
Arizona Dental Sealant Program Fact Sheet
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