title: Independent analysis: efficacy of sealants used in a public health program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This short report details part of the findings of a larger, multiphasic research study considering Quality of Care (QoC) and Quality of Life (QoL) for socioeconomic and underserved rural populations accessing dental health care through a Public Health Department. Improving oral health for families that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, with cultural disparities, or lacking access to care was the goal of this project. The purpose of this project was documenting effectiveness of oral health care when dental hygienists working through local area health departments, as an alternative delivery model, provide quality educational and preventive care services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a 6 year period, 1,511 sealants were placed. Simple clinical practices using 4-handed dentistry and strict isolation techniques led to achieving a 95% or higher cumulative sealant retention rate. Dental caries was averted for 858 individuals over a 3 year period (2006 to 2009). Using a consultation-referral model, 463 individuals received restorative care. Results from this short report document clinical care practices for populations in rural communities with limited access to care while improving oral health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical findings in this short report illustrate the successes of an oral health care program offered by a dental hygienist working collaboratively through a Community Public Health Department. Sealant retention, averted dental caries and restorative care provided using a consultative-referral model all illustrate clinical quality of care achieved when employing alternative care models outside the realm of traditional in office procedures.
authors.forename: Jodi L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Olmsted
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rublee
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kleber
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zurkawski
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D006801:Humans; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care
chemical_list: D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants
keywords: allied health; dental hygiene; dental sealants; education; health disparities; outcomes; prevention; quality of care; quality of life