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In conjunction with the Quantum Foundation of
Palm Beach County, the Palm Beach County Health Department Dental Program has implemented a school based dental sealant program that targets second grade students in 16 elementary schools that have the greatest number of students on the free and reduced lunch program. This program is currently in its third year.
A dental sealant is the professional application of a plastic material on the pits and fissures (grooves) of the chewing surfaces of the
 back teeth that provides safe and effective long term protection from
"Tooth Decay". Sealants can also stop early cavities from having to be removed by a dentist and replaced with a filling.
Dental sealants are effective in preventing decay on the pits and fissures of teeth by sealing out decay-causing bacteria. Together, community water fluoridation and sealants provide the maximum in community based decay prevention measures, and are proven to prevent about 95% of all decay
on permanent molar teeth.
Since sealants are most effective when applied soon after the teeth erupt into
the mouth, the objective of this school based sealant project is to identify newly erupted first permanent molars-and to seal them.
Last year, 1085 students received a dental screening examination and 659 of these students received a total of 1839 dental sealants on first permanent molars.
For
further information please
contact
Palm Beach County Health
Department
Division of Dental Health
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