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Focus Area 1: Improved Access to and Utilization of Quality Oral Health Care

Indicator 1.3.a: % of Florida schools with school-based sealant programs

Current Value

36.9%

2016

Definition

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Partners

Incomplete list of critical partnerships identified to address underlying factors and garner support:

PTA • School administration • School district boards of education • Florida Department of Health • Florida Department of Education • Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) • Florida Department of Children and Families • Florida Association of Community Health Centers • Schools of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene • Florida Dental Hygiene Association • Nonprofit and faith-based organizations (especially those providing sealants) • United Way Florida • Tribal Councils • National Dental Association • National Hispanic Association • Urban League

What Works

Implement oral health education and advocacy campaigns aimed at Florida Department of Education, the State Board of Education, local Boards of Education, the state Legislature, and the general public about the importance of oral health and the potential of school based sealant programs in preventing dental caries in school age children • Improve funding sources for development and maintenance of school based sealant programs through advocacy and education of such organizations as United Way and other statewide and local philanthropic agencies • Continue to explore best practices used in other states to develop and implement school based sealant programs and monitor data more effectively about implementation in Florida through use of the SEALS program for data collection and evaluation

Strategy

Encourage the use of SEALS data collection tool Increase school-based sealant programs in Florida Increase Medicaid reimbursement for sealants • Advocate for client Medicaid reimbursement for sealants provided in health access settings

Action Plan

Adopt standardized definition of "school-based sealant program" and "school-based preventive program" • Develop a recommended consent form • Create 1 page "white paper" on sealants for Florida (using current data) • Adopt and promote best practice for sealant protocol • Obtain CDC funding for the state of Florida to support the Department of Health's oral disease prevention program

Story Behind the Curve

Factors that have contributed to improving the data:

There is increased awareness of the importance of sealants • Oral Health Florida supports the work of their Sealant Action Team to improve access to care • The Sealant Action Team contributes to member mentorship, validates importance of individual sealant programs, provides expert advice on the nuts and bolts and best practices of implementing and managing a sealant program • Law was passed to allow dental hygienists to work in a public health access setting under the authorization of a dentist. • There is a growing awareness of oral health and sealant data gaps • Prior examination by dentists are not required prior to application of sealants by dental hygienists

Factors that restrict the data:

There is a lack of cohesive support from partners and stakeholders to develop, maintain and increase sealant programs • There is a lack of continuity of data collected from all sealant programs. (i.e. SEALS) • No agency collects sealant data (SEALS) on a statewide basis. • Low oral health literacy leads to a low value being placed on sealants • Some parents do not understand that their child's sealants are not going to take away from their coverage/"savings account." AHCA has been implementing outreach to dispel misinformation • There is low parent participation and low consent form return • Unknown status around health equity

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

Scorecard Container Measure Action Actual Value Target Value Tag S A m/d/yy m/d/yyyy