This program has operated since 1996 through a grant from the Ohio Department of Health's Bureau of Oral Health Services.

The Health District offers the dental sealant program to children in elementary schools in the City of Warren and several nearby school districts. This program helps prevents tooth decay through the use of dental sealants. Sealants are thin plastic coatings, which are placed on the chewing areas of the child’s permanent molars in order to seal out germs that cause decay.

Both second and sixth grade students are eligible for the program and are presented with an overview of the process, shown an animated video, and given application forms along with information explaining the program to take home to their parents. Forms must be signed and returned to the classroom teacher for the child to be eligible to participate.

Students with permission slips are examined by the dentist and those who require dental work are referred to their family dentist. Dental hygienists then apply the sealants to the permanent molars. Children are checked one year later to ensure that the sealants are still in place.