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Targeting school-based dental sealant programs: who is at "higher risk"?
Mark D Siegal1, Amber M R Detty
1Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Oral Health Services, 246 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215, USA. mark.siegal@odh.ohio.gov
Journal of Public Health Dentistry
|January 7, 2010
Summary
Targeting schools with high Free and Reduced Price Meal Program (FRPMP) enrollment effectively identifies children needing dental sealants. This approach helps school-based sealant programs (S-BSPs) reach at-risk students efficiently.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Health Services Research
Background:
- School-based sealant programs (S-BSPs) aim to improve oral health outcomes in children.
- Identifying high-risk children for dental caries is crucial for targeted interventions.
- The Free and Reduced Price Meal Program (FRPMP) is often used as a proxy for socioeconomic risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate how different Free and Reduced Price Meal Program (FRPMP) enrollment thresholds at the school level impact the ability of school-based sealant programs (S-BSPs) to identify and reach high-risk children.
- To compare the effectiveness of various FRPMP enrollment-based risk thresholds in identifying children with dental caries and other access-related indicators.
Main Methods:
- Utilized statewide third-grade oral health survey data.
- Compared dental caries prevalence in higher-risk children using three social determinant-based risk criteria.
- Analyzed dental caries and access indicators in higher-risk schools based on four FRPMP enrollment thresholds (≥60%, ≥50%, ≥40%, ≥30%).
- Assessed school and higher-risk child percentages across different thresholds.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in caries prevalence among higher-risk children based on varying child risk criteria.
- Children in higher-risk schools consistently showed higher caries experience, untreated caries, and lower dental visit rates, irrespective of the school-level FRPMP threshold.
- A substantial decrease in the yield of additional higher-risk children per additional higher-risk school was observed between the 40-49% and 30-39% FRPMP enrollment tiers.
Conclusions:
- Identifying higher-risk schools based on FRPMP enrollment is a practical strategy for S-BSPs to reach children in need of dental sealants.
- The findings support the use of school-level FRPMP enrollment as an effective targeting mechanism for S-BSPs to improve sealant prevalence among high-risk populations.
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