MICA's School Sealant Program provides routine dental screenings to any third and seventh grade students throughout school districts in Benton, Boone, Hardin, Marshall, Story, and Tama County. Along with a routine screening, MICA's dental hygienist applies a sealant to any tooth in need of one at no cost to the student's family. These sealants act as a barrier between bacteria and the enamel of the teeth. According to the CDC, children receiving dental sealants in school-based programs have 60% fewer new decayed pit and fissure surfaces in back teeth for up to 2-5 years after a single application.

The program also connects the families of uninsured students to dental insurance options and works with parents to make sure each student receives a checkup with a local dentist within 12 months. Referrals are made to all parents whose children's teeth are showing substantial decay. A primary goal of the School Sealant Program is to make sure that children are not only receiving checkups, but also seeking and obtaining the proper dental care their teeth require.

In 2008, the School Sealant Program provided dental checkups to 634 children, applying sealants to 1,339 teeth and referring 118 children onto further dental services within their community. The program also informed 252 parents whose children reported no dental insurance or who may be eligible for additional support of dental insurance options for their child.

For more information about MICA's School Sealant Program, contact MICA Child Health Coordinator Kate Pergande at 641-752-7162 ext. 163.