Researchers Find Low Rates of Fluoride Varnish Use in Young Children
A University of Massachusetts Amherst study has determined that fewer than 5% of well-child visits for children ages 1 to 5 included the application of fluoride varnish to prevent caries.
A University of Massachusetts Amherst study has determined that fewer than 5% of well-child visits for children ages 1 to 5 included the application of fluoride varnish to prevent caries. Researchers analyzed data from 2016 to 2018 for privately insured children in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Of the 328,661 well-child visits, fluoride varnish application was more common among younger subjects than older children. This work is part of a larger study that is examining why medical personnel are not providing this preventive treatment during routine pediatric visits. Findings from the study, “Dental Fluoride Varnish Application During Medical Visits Among Children Who Are Privately Insured,” appear in JAMA Network Open.
From Decisions in Dentistry. October 2021;7(10):7.
