Use of Dental Sealants on Florida Children to Get Poor Grade in Pew Center on the States January 8 Report
Jan 3, 2013
On Tuesday, January 8, the Pew Center on the States will release a report grading Florida and all 50 states on a key strategy to prevent tooth decay among children – the use of dental sealants. According to Pew, Florida has received a poor grade in its related efforts.
The Florida Dental Hygiene Association has cited a Medicaid billing glitch as a primary reason Florida’s efforts to reach more children and improve the grade received from Pew are being undermined.
Sealants are clear plastic coatings that are brushed onto children’s molars, the most cavity-prone teeth. Sealants are usually first applied when children are in the 2nd grade. They are known as more cost-effective, because they prevent 60% of tooth decay at only one-third the cost of filling a cavity.
- Please contact Trevor Mask (tmask@cftlaw.com or (850) 577-0398) if you want additional information or if you have any questions about Florida’s dental-related policies when the report is released.