Harpreet K. Singh, RDH, MS, Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, 560, Rm. 323, Boston, MA 02118, 617-4141135, hksingh@bu.edu, Corinna S. Culler, RDH, MPH, Department of Health Policy & Health Services Research, Boston University, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 715 Albany Street, 560, Room 326, Boston, MA 02118-2526, and Michelle Henshaw, DMD, MPH, Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118-2526.

Objective: Given that opposition to water fluoridation and fear of fluorosis remain important issues in community dentistry, our objective was to investigate if adding a fluoride varnish component to existing school based dental screening and sealant programs would reduce participation rates.

Methods: During the third year of a school based dental program, fluoride varnish was offered to the 1st and 2nd grades, in addition to existing screening and sealant programs in Chelsea, Massachusetts Public Schools. Participation rates were examined for all 3 years and compared with participation rates of 3rd grade classrooms, where fluoride varnish was not offered. Parents were able to consent to the screening and sealants programs alone or with fluoride varnish.

Results: For the 1st grade classrooms, participation rates for screening only were level for the first two years at around 70%, whereas after the addition of fluoride varnish dropped significantly to 63.5%. For 2nd grade classrooms, participation rates for the sealant program were also level for the first 2 years at 67.5%, but dropped significantly to 61.5% after the addition of fluoride varnish. For 3rd grade classrooms, where fluoride varnish was not added to the program, participation in the screening program increased over all 3 years from 53.5 % in year 1 to 65.7% in year 3.

Conclusion: Participation rates for both dental screening and dental sealant programs declined after the addition of fluoride varnish. These results are somewhat surprising given that parents had the option of consenting to the programs with or without fluoride varnish.

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