Dental Health Status of Children 5 Years after Completing School Care Programs: Richmond, Ind., and Woonsocket, R.I.

Abstract

ONE OF THE major objectives of the comprehensive dental care programs carried on in the schools of Richmond, Id., and Woonsocket, R.I., was to inculcate good oral health practices in participating children and in their parents (1-4). The educational phase of the projects, however, was directed not only to participants and their families but to a communitywide audience (5). Dental health education was conducted in all schools, and the public was alerted to the aims and objectives of the projects through various media. There was a sustained effort to encourage participation in the care programs, to influence nonparticipants to seek the services of private dentists, and to achieve a universal awareness of the importance of dental health. What impact did these programs actually have? Followup dental examinations were conducted in the schools of Richmond and Woonsocket in 1956 and 1957 to evaluate the long-term effects of treatment and education on continuing oral health. This paper is an analysis of the results. Findings from the followup examinations are compared with data found among children examined at the initiation of the care programs and at their conclusion.