Volusia County, Fla. - Children in Volusia County are setting the bar for the rest of the state. Over the past three years, 15,434 children have received dental sealants from the Department of Health (DOH) in Volusia County.

“Less than half of one percent of the youth who received the preventative treatments had subsequent cavities in sealed teeth,” said DOH-Volusia Administrator Patricia Boswell.  “By preventing tooth decay, we are protecting a child’s overall health.”

Dental pain also is a common cause of emergency department visits in Volusia County, Boswell said. Data shows it’s also a problem statewide. In 2014, nearly 13,000 youth up to age 20 sought relief from dental pain at emergency departments across the state. The associated charges topped $14.1 million, according to the State’s Agency for Health Care Administration.

“Every $1 DOH invests in dental sealants saves $1.88 in fillings,” Boswell said. "This is in addition to the savings from decreased emergency department visits and decreased chronic disease caused by poor adult oral health.”

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of a child’s back teeth. The coating protects the enamel from decay.

As part of its school-based Preventative Dental Program, DOH-Volusia dental hygienists educate students in Title 1 schools serving low-income students. Children receive instruction on how to care for their teeth and are given a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and a brushing timer. Dental cleanings, sealants and fluoride treatments also are offered.

The program reaches out to children most at risk, Boswell explained. Racial and ethnic minorities and children from low-income families are less likely to receive preventive dental care and therefore more likely to suffer from untreated tooth decay. In adulthood, poor dental health has been connected to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, pre-term and low-birth weight babies.

Parental permission is required for a child to participate in the preventive program. Each school year, DOH-Volusia provides consent forms to Volusia’s Title 1 elementary schools. Students who return a signed form receive preventative treatments at no charge to patients.  

“This is in addition to our promise to treat any child up to age 18 living in Volusia who is experiencing dental pain and does not have insurance or a dentist,” Boswell added.

Children and adults with insurance may receive routine and preventive dental care at the Department’s dental clinics. The clinics accept clients with Medicaid, Sunshine Dental Health and Wellness for Foster Care Children, Healthy Kids, CMS, Ped-i-care, United Health Care, Liberty Dental, Argus, Ryan White, Head-Start coverage and clients of the West Volusia Hospital Authority.

DOH-Volusia offers dental care in Daytona Beach and DeLand. Care also will be offered in Orange City by the end of the month. Information on locations is online at volusiahealth.com/locations.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call the DOH-Volusia dental clinic in Deland at 386-736-5194 or Daytona Beach at 386-274-0895.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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