Dentaltown October 2016 - 82


We are educating our patients about
preventive care that is beneficial
to their oral health. In order to
do so, we need to inform patients
about the options available to them
through the practice.
teach patients and parents about sealants
and their benefits.
Social media is a huge marketing and
advertising tool. Reaching out to the public
is as simple as the touch of a button. The
beauty of social media is that a practice
has the potential to reach out to thousands
of people in the community, or simply to
current patients.
As clinicians we forget that sealants
aren't strictly for children and adolescents.
Why aren't sealants recommended or
treatment-planned for adults more often?
We may have mentally trained ourselves
to believe that our adult patients won't
consider sealants because often the treatment
is not covered by insurance. This is why
education is key.
A hygiene appointment is the perfect time
to introduce preventive medicine and allow
the patient to make an educated decision.
At best, we can try not to let insurance
companies dictate our patients' oral health.

What works best
You've established your protocol and
advertised the service, but what products
work best? This is a personal preference.
The two common types of sealants
are resin-based sealants and glass ionomer

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OCTOBER 2016 // dentaltown.com

cements. As we know, technique is crucial.
As with most dental procedures, the patient's
cooperation and keeping the area dry are
challenges to placing sealants. A majority
of clinicians place sealants independently,
while others have assistants helping.
Drs. David Shipper and Howard Vogel of
Central Park West Dental in New York City
said that it's easier to set a new appointment
for patients rather than run overtime on an
existing appointment and sacrifice quality.
This is their technique: Vogel cleans the
surface area with an air abrasive, isolates
the tooth, and then applies etch and bond.
Next, he uses composite material rather
than traditional sealant material (due to
better retention), and cures the surface for
15 seconds.
Hygienist Michele Banks, who works for
Arizona's Dental Sealant Program with the
Maricopa County Office of Oral Health,
said, "I do not have dental assistants so I
use a two-handed technique. I have started
to use BeautiSealant by Shofu. I love it. It
is easy and fast to place. No etching. The
kids seem to like this better."

Community minded
Many people who are most at risk for
tooth decay do not have access to a regular
dentist. However, community and public-health services can help bridge the gap
for this population. Volunteering can make
a difference in your community. Research
your state to see if there is an available
school-based dental sealant program. If
not, Seal America provides resources on
how to create one.
The Maricopa County Office of Oral
Health has a successful program. Hygienist
Vincent Torres, a program supervisor, said
that the program follows the protocols of
Seal America. Public sector programs are
managed differently than private practice.
The two types of sealants that the
Continued on p. 84
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