Dental sealants are thin coatings that are painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars) and help prevent cavities for many years (NIH). According to the CDC, school-age children (ages 6-11) or in grades 1 to 5, without dental sealants can have almost three (3) times more cavities than those with sealants.
A school-based dental sealant program is an effective way to help prevent cavities among children. School sealant programs use portable dental equipment to apply sealants in schools. A qualified, licensed dental professional will apply the dental sealant. A typical sealant program will visit an individual school over the course of 1 to 3 days.
School-based sealant programs generally focus efforts on schools with a higher percentage of children eligible for federal free or reduced-cost meal programs. Click on More information below to learn about school sealant programs or contact the County of Orange Health Care Agency – Local Oral Health Program (OC-LOHP) at lohp@ochca.com.