Report: Evaluation of SEAL!ND: School Year 2022-2023

Abstract

The North Dakota school-based sealant program (SEAL!ND) prioritizes providing preventive oral health care to underserved students by targeting schools with 45% or greater of their students enrolled in the free and reduced fee school lunch program (these are considered qualifying schools). Although schools with a larger proportion of youth who are from lower-income households are prioritized by federal funding, additional schools participate and receive care from local dental providers (these are referred to as non-qualifying). During the 2022-23 school year, 58 schools participated in SEAL!ND; 40 qualifying schools (Q) and 18 non-qualifying (NQ); 55 of the 58 schools had two visits (one in the fall and one in the spring). Through these visits, 2,284 students were screened by a dental professional, and 3,899 teeth were protected with a dental sealant. Sealants prevent cavities by creating a barrier between the teeth and cavity-causing bacteria. Sealants also stop cavities from growing and can prevent the need for fillings. Dental sealants prevent 80% of cavities in the back teeth, where 9 out of 10 cavities generally occur