CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A nonprofit group gives West Virginia a "C'' grade for its stategy to prevent tooth decay in children.
The Washington, D.C.-based Pew Center on the States issued the report Tuesday. It graded every state on efforts to improve access to dental sealants for low-income children.
The study noted West Virginia fell short of a goal to provide the clear plastic sealants in most school-based programs and had some restrictions on dental hygienists' abilities to apply sealants in schools.
The center says sealants can protect healthy teeth while preventing a cavity from forming when applied during the early stages of tooth decay. Typically, sealants are first applied to children's molars shortly after their permanent teeth appear.
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