382 Journal of Dental Education ■ Volume 69, Number 3 International Perspectives on Dental Education Does School-Based Dental Screening for Children Increase Follow-Up Treatment at Dental School Clinics? Mamata Hebbal, B.D.S.; Ramesh Nagarajappa, M.D.S. Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a screening program and referral system in stimulating dental attendance of children in need of treatment at Bapuji Dental College and Hospital of Davangere, India. A total of fourteen schools in the Davangere area were selected randomly and divided into two groups: seven schools that had a dental screening program (study group, n=2100 children), and seven schools that did not have one (control group, n=2400 children). The atten- dance rate by members of the study group was determined during the three-month period from the date of initiating the school screening program. During this same period the students who visited the college from the control group underwent a dental examination. Chi-square tests were used to test the difference between different variables. The response rate for seeking treatment was 31 percent for the study group (34.2 percent for males; 26.2 percent for females) and 10 percent for the control group (9.6 percent for males; 10.5 percent for females). In both the groups, the treatment need was highest for dental caries (study group=36.3 percent, control group=11.1 percent) and least for fluorosis (study group=21.2 percent, control group=1.2 percent). The study demonstrated that screening and motivation significantly improved the percentage of school children who sought dental care. Dr. Hebbal is a Postgraduate Student and Dr. Nagarajappa is a Reader—both in the Department of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere, India. Direct correspondence and requests for reprints to Dr. Mamata Hebbal, Depart- ment of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere 577 004, Karnataka, India; 91-8192-220575, ext. 333 phone; 91-8192-220578 fax; drmamatahebbal@yahoo.co.in. Key words: dental screening program, response rate, school children Submitted for publication 7/13/04; accepted 12/10/04 T he effectiveness of school-based dental screening in many countries has come under scrutiny in recent years. It has been proposed that dental screening of children in their schools achieves the aim of “encouraging dental attendance and demand for care” and serves as “a means of den- tal health education.” Questions have been raised about the effectiveness and appropriateness of screen- ing. Efforts have been made to improve its efficiency, and in many Community Dental Services (CDS), clear objectives have been set and standard proto- cols for the process have been produced and adopted. 1 In India, children form about 38-40 percent of the total population, and 80 percent of them have high levels of dental disease. 2 School dental screen- ing has a clear role in identifying children with un- treated disease and encouraging them to seek dental care by informing them about their dental needs. The Department of Community Dentistry, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital at Davangere city, Karnataka, India is conducting a regular school dental screening program biannually for most of the schools of Davangere. All the children are screened thoroughly for dental diseases, and necessary oral health care instructions are provided for each indi- vidual. Children who require treatment are referred to the dental college by giving them referral cards; dental care is provided to them there free of cost. The aims of the study were to 1) evaluate the effectiveness of the screening program and referral system in stimulating children with dental problems to seek treatment at Bapuji Dental College and Hos- pital, and 2) compare the rates of dental treatment among different age groups and among males and females following screening. Materials and Methods The present study was conducted among school-going children of Davangere city who were between six and fifteen years old. Before the start of