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J Dent Educ. 69(3): 382-386 2005
© 2005 American Dental Education Association
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International Perspectives on Dental Education

Does School-Based Dental Screening for Children Increase Follow-Up Treatment at Dental School Clinics?

Mamata Hebbal, B.D.S.; Ramesh Nagarajappa, M.D.S.

Dr. Hebbal is a Postgraduate Student and Dr. Nagarajappa is a Reader—both in the Department of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere, India. Direct correspondence and requests for reprints to Dr. Mamata Hebbal, Department of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere 577 004, Karnataka, India; 91-8192-220575, ext. 333 phone; 91-8192-220578 fax; drmamatahebbal{at}yahoo.co.in.

Key words: dental screening program, response rate, school children

Submitted for publication 07/13/04; accepted 12/10/04

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a screening program and referral system in stimulating dental attendance of children in need of treatment at Bapuji Dental College and Hospital of Davangere, India. A total of fourteen schools in the Davangere area were selected randomly and divided into two groups: seven schools that had a dental screening program (study group, n=2100 children), and seven schools that did not have one (control group, n=2400 children). The attendance rate by members of the study group was determined during the three-month period from the date of initiating the school screening program. During this same period the students who visited the college from the control group underwent a dental examination. Chi-square tests were used to test the difference between different variables. The response rate for seeking treatment was 31 percent for the study group (34.2 percent for males; 26.2 percent for females) and 10 percent for the control group (9.6 percent for males; 10.5 percent for females). In both the groups, the treatment need was highest for dental caries (study group=36.3 percent, control group=11.1 percent) and least for fluorosis (study group=21.2 percent, control group=1.2 percent). The study demonstrated that screening and motivation significantly improved the percentage of school children who sought dental care.






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