The acceptability of fluoride varnish and fissure sealant treatments in children aged 6-9 delivered in a school setting

Abstract

Objective: To assess the acceptability of fluoride varnish and fissure sealant treatments for children. To investigate the acceptability of delivering this treatment in a school setting for children, parents, clinicians and school staff.

Basic research design: Semi-structured interviews (with children, parents, clinicians and school staff) and a questionnaire (for school staff) as part of a two-arm, randomised clinical trial.

Participants: Children aged 6-9, their parents, clinical staff and school staff.

Interventions: Fluoride varnish or fissure sealant was delivered to children from the ages of 6 to 9 years for 36 months, by a community dental service in a school setting. Fluoride varnish was re-applied every 6 months; fissure sealant was applied once to first permanent molars and re-applied as required.

Results: Interviews with children a few days after treatment indicated little difference in preference; acceptability at this point was driven by factors such as finding it fun to visit 'the van' (i.e. mobile dental unit) and receiving a "sticker" rather than specific treatment received. Interviews with parents, clinicians and school staff indicated high acceptability of delivering this type of intervention in a school setting; this may have been partly due to the service being delivered by a well-established, child-oriented community dental service which delivered the clinical trial.

Conclusions: Preventive fluoride varnish and fissure sealant treatments in a school setting has high overall acceptability.

Keywords: Preventive treatment; children; dental caries; fissure sealants; fluoride varnish; health inequality; qualitative study; school based prevention.