Training and educational needs in pit and fissure sealant application for graduate dental personnel: continuing education and certification courses.

The purpose of this paper was to address the continuing education needs of dentists and dental auxiliaries and certification needs of and available courses for graduate dental hygienists and assistants. Background information was presented on the professional and economic concerns of practitioners, as well as research findings and the extent to which students and practitioners are being educated and trained in the application of sealants. The role of manpower training and utilization was addressed along with the role of auxiliaries in accelerating and promoting sealant use. A model pit and fissure sealant course was discussed in the hope that those educators contemplating the modification of curricula to include the topic of sealants or the offering of a continuing education course will have "food for thought." A survey was conducted to determine the extent to which continuing education courses are being offered to graduate or practicing auxiliaries who did not receive formal sealant instruction in school. The survey did reveal that only approximately 17 percent of the institutions responding provided continuing education courses in pit and fissure sealant application.