How to Cite
Elías-Boneta, A. R., Hanke-Herrero, R., Psoter, K., Toro-Vizcarrondo, C. E., & Psoter, W. J. (2006). The Prevalence of Pit and Fissure Sealants among Twelve Year Old Living in Puerto Rico during 1997. Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal, 25(2). Retrieved from https://prhsj.rcm.upr.edu/index.php/prhsj/article/view/313
Abstract
Objective: to estimate the prevalence of pit and fissure sealants on first permanent molars in twelve year olds living in Puerto Rico and to further evaluate dental sealant prevalence by 1) urban/rural and public/ private school status as well as 2) gender; Design: population-based, cross-sectional study; Setting: public and private schools encompassing the 11 health regions of Puerto Rico. Subjects: a probabilistic sample of 12-year old school attendees in Puerto Rico representing a population of approximately 70,000. Method: during April through December 1997, the first permanent molars of 1435 subjects were evaluated by visual and tactile methods for the presence of dental sealants. Results: the data collected revealed that 4.3% of 12 years olds presented at least one permanent first molar sealed. A statistically significant difference (p=0.01) between urban-public (2.5%), rural-public (3.39%) and urban-private (11.0%) schools was observed. The prevalence of sealants was higher in males (5.5%) than females (2.9%); (p= 0.02). Conclusions: the prevalence of dental sealants in the first permanent molars of 12-year olds living in Puerto Rico during 1997 (4.3%) is lower than that reported in the United States (18.5%). Sealant prevalence was higher in males and students attending (urban) private schools.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
a. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
c. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).