Preventive Dental Care for Your Child

Proper preventive dental care for your children – including regular dental exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants – helps ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles. Learn more about the statistics regarding preventive dental care for children from a study conducted by Delta Dental.

Less than one-third (29%) of children younger than 3 years old had any dental service

• One-fourth (25%) of children ages 3–18 did not receive any dental service.
• More than one-fourth (26%) of children up to age 18 are at high risk for tooth decay.
• Nearly 65 percent of high-risk children did not receive two fluoride treatments per year.
• More than 85 percent of high-risk children ages 10–14 did not receive sealants on their second molars.
• Nearly 67 percent of high-risk children ages 6–9 did not receive sealants on their first molars.

Preventing or addressing dental issues before they get worse alleviates pain and is much less expensive than treating severe dental problems. Plus, most Delta Dental plans cover children's preventive dental health care with no cost or a low co-pay.