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Preventive

195 - Success Rate of Sealants Placed by Dental Hygienists vs Dentists

Friday, May 23, 2025
4:20 PM - 4:40 PM MDT
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Keon Jones, DDS (he/him/his)

    Pediatric Dental Resident
    NYU Langone Dental Medicine, Brooklyn, NY
    Pittsburg, Kansas, United States

    • Research Mentor(s)

  • ER

    Elizabeth Rogers, DDS

    Pediatric Dental Attending
    NYU Langone - Kansas
    Pittsburg, Kansas, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • DK

    Daniel J. Kane, DMD

    Program Director
    NYU Langone Health
    Brooklyn, New York, United States

Title: Success Rate of Sealants Placed by Dental Hygienists vs Dentists

Purpose:
The purpose of this study aims to evaluate the success rates of sealants on permanent molars comparing placements in the office vs at outreach programs. The success rate of sealants was also evaluated by provider type (dentist, hygienist, or dental assistant) and was assessed at 6-month periodic examinations.

Methods:
Records of pediatric patients treated at Community Health Center of South East Kansas Smiles from September 2020 to September 2023 were evaluated. The status of the sealant will be recorded using success-fail criteria, whereby a sealant was said to be failed if the sealant fractured, debonded or was missing, or the teeth were diagnosed with caries. Data was also collected on the location of placement, as well as whether they were placed by dental attendings, dental residents, and hygienists. Data was also collected on 6-month follow-up completed by either pediatric dental residents or attending faculty members.

Results:
Dentists: 1,620 out of 2,381 cases were successful (68%), while 761 (32%) were not. Hygienists/Assistants: 155 out of 211 cases were successful (73%), while 56 (27%) were not. The difference in success rates between provider types is not statistically significant (p-value > 0.05). Most common reason for failure: Dentists: Sealant repair (49%). Hygienists/Assistants: Surface composites (61%).

Conclusion:
There is no significant difference between provider type and overall success rate. There is no significant difference in patient gender between success and failed cases. Reasons for case failure from most common to least common are as follows: sealant repair (47%), surface composites (35%), extraction (13%), and stainless crowns on permanent tooth (5.5%).

Identify Supporting Agency and Grant Number:
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, NYU Langone Hospitals