Occlusal sealant success over ten years in a private practice: comparing longevity of sealants placed by dentists, hygienists, and assistants.

Purpose: The purpose of this 10-year, retrospective, cohort study was to evaluate the success of permanent molar sealants by comparing the effectiveness of sealants placed by dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants in a private dental practice, with all operators using an identical, standardized, application technique and 4-handed dentistry.

Methods: From 810 patient records that met entry criteria, the long-term follow-up records of 3,194 permanent first molars were evaluated. Data were collected and evaluated by survival analyses methods for: (1) time to first failure (caries or restoration of the sealed surface); (2) fluoride history; (3) caries experience; (4) operator type; (5) behavior at sealant placement; (6) tooth type; (7) age at placement; and (8) patient gender.