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Comprehensive School Based Oral Health Program - Chelsea, Massachusetts

In Chelsea, Boston University School of Dental Medicine (BUSDM) provides comprehensive services which include classroom education, the placement of dental sealants, fluoride varnish applications, and restorative dental care for children in the public schools. This program has been recognized as a best practice by the American Dental Education Association and includes a city wide sealant program for the 400 second graders in Chelsea and the Chelsea School Dental Center. 

In the school year ’06-’07, over 750 Head Start children, first and second graders received two application of fluoride varnish, while approximately 800 pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children received one application of fluoride varnish.  Since opening in April of 2003, the Chelsea School Dental Center, which is managed by BUSDM and located in the Williams Middle School, has provided preventive and restorative services for over 1500 children during more than 4,000 clinic visits, with just over 1,000 patients served in 2006-2007 academic year. 

Many of the patients, who range in age from preschoolers to high school seniors, have never been to the dentist and would have no other source of dental care if it were not for this clinic. Three bilingual dentists devote time to treating patients in the clinic.  In addition, the clinic employs a full time clinic coordinator.