Language and literacy relate to lack of children's dental sealant use.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the percent of California's third grade public school children lacking sealants by child and family factors and to measure social disparities for lacking sealants.

Methods: The study analyzed data from the California Oral Health Needs Assessment (COHNA) 2004-2005, a complex stratified cluster sample of children (n = 10,450) from 182 randomly selected public elementary schools in California. The dependent variable was absence of sealants in first permanent molars.