• The annual reported rate captures activity during the previous calendar year. 
• This is a American Dental Association (ADA) / Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) measure.

Percentage of enrolled children ages 6 to 9 at elevated risk of dental caries (i.e. "moderate" or "high") who received a sealant on a permanent first molar tooth within the reporting year.

Dental caries is the most common chronic disease in children in the United States.  In 2009-2010, 14% of children aged 3-5 years had untreated dental caries.  Among children aged 6-9 years, 17% had untreated dental caries, and among adolescents aged 13-15, 11% had untreated dental caries.  Identifying caries early is important to reverse the disease process, prevent progression of caries, and reduce incidence of future lesions.  Approximately three quarters of children younger than age 6 years did not have at least one visit to a dentist in the previous year.  Evidence based Clinical Recommendations recommend that sealants should be placed on pits and fissures of chilren's primary and permanent teeeth when it is determined that the tooth, or the patient, is at risk of experiencing caries.  The evidence for sealant effectiveness in permanent molars is stronger than evidence for primary molars.

Last updated:  March 2021