The effectiveness of school dental screening: dental attendance and treatment of those screened positive.

OBJECTIVE

To determine dental attendance and treatment outcomes following two models of dental screening.

DESIGN

An observational prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Infant, primary and junior schools in the North West of England.

SUBJECTS

Children aged six to nine years at the start of the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Subjects received a screening examination according to either a 'Traditional model' or 'New model' of school dental screening.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Attendance at a dentist within four months of the intervention and treatment received by children referred via the 'New model' with caries in their permanent teeth.

RESULTS

In the 'New model' of school dental screening 46% of screened positive and 41% of screened negative children attended a dentist during the study period. Some 44% of children referred with caries in permanent teeth attended a dentist and 53% of those attending received treatment for the referred condition. Larger proportions of children from disadvantaged backgrounds were screened positive but higher proportions of children from more affluent backgrounds attended the dentist and subsequently received treatment.

CONCLUSION

School dental screening has a minimal impact on dental attendance and only a small proportion of screened positive children receive appropriate treatment. The programme fails to reduce inequalities in utilisation of dental services.