California Launches Statewide Sealant Program

While California has seen improvement over the past several years when it comes to missed school days due to dental problems —446,000 in 2018 to 270,000 in 2021— the state wants to continue to see that number drop. As such, Smile, California, an effort by the California Department of Health Care Services, recently introduced Sealants for a Healthy Smile, a statewide campaign to encourage parents and guardians to protect their children’s teeth by promoting the application of sealants as a preventive measure against dental caries. The program includes a mobile dental van that will bring sealants to children residing in Sacramento, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Lake, Nevada, Mariposa, and Tehama counties, which are located in rural parts of the state, as well as partnerships with 60 public health dental clinics to broaden access to sealants for kids who don’t often receive professional dental care. Click here to read more.