The status of fissure sealant teaching in British dental schools

The purpose of this report is to document the current status of the teaching of pit and fissure sealants in British dental schools. Survey responses were received from 88.9 per cent of the surveyed programmes, 87.5 per cent of surveyed staff and 77.8 per cent of surveyed dental schools representing 52.4 per cent of all surveyed students. All schools were providing instruction on pit and fissure sealants with departments of Child Dental Health having primary responsibility for teaching at most of them. Students estimated that 61.3 per cent of their child patients were receiving sealants. Staff and students gave both classroom and clinical sealant training favourable ratings. Similarly, the majority of staff and student respondents perceived that other staff and students considered sealants to be of value. Staff knowledge of sealants was generally accurate, while students displayed a larger percentage of incorrect or unsure responses. Both staff and students expressed generally positive attitudes toward sealants. Both groups also gave favourable ratings to the overall preventive orientation of their schools. The student's projected sealant use in practice was explained best by the combination of student attitudes toward sealants and their evaluation of the overall preventive orientation of their dental school.