SEALANT STATUS AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEALANT PRESENCE AMONG CHILDREN IN MILWAUKEE, WI

Objectives: 1) To determine the percent of school-children aged 6-14 y ears with sealants placed in their permanent molars in the City of Mil waukee. 2) To describe factors associated with sealant presence among these children. 3) To describe differences, if any, among ethnic major ity and minority groups. Twelve public schools agreed to participate i n this project. After consent forms were obtained, 1,234 dental exams were performed. A 15-item pretested questionnaire was given to each ch ild to take home for the parent(s) to complete. Response rate was 60 p ercent (N = 742). Data were analyzed using frequencies and Chi-Square tests (P-value < 0.05). Only 9.6 percent of the sample had sealants on their permanent molars. Variables that were found associated with chi ldren more likely to have sealants included: gender (female children m ore likely than males); children with a recent dental exam; children h aving a regular ants before this study; parents' correct knowledge reg arding the purpose of sealants; higher level of parents' education; hi gher parents' total annual income; ethnicity (Caucasian children more likely than Hispanic, African American, American Indian, or Asian chil dren): and age (children in the older group, 10-14 years, more likely than children in tile younger group, 6-9 years). Percent of school-chi ldren with sealants on their permanent molars in the city of Milwaukee is low. Efforts are needed to increase the knowledge of sealants by t he general public as well as to promote sealant use by dentists in bot h private practice and public health programs, especially for minority children.