Changes in oral health indicators due to implementation of the National Health Insurance Services coverage for first molar dental sealant for children and adolescents in South Korea

In South Korea, dental sealant was included in the National Health Insurance Services (NHIS) coverage for the first molar for ages 6-14 in December 2009. The second molar was included in 2012, and the age of insurance coverage was extended to under 18 in 2013. This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of an NHIS dental sealant coverage policy for children and adolescents by comparing the changes in first molar oral health indicators before and after policy implementation. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data were analyzed; the fourth period (2007-2009) provided data for before and the sixth period (2013-2015) provided data for after policy implementation. The proportion of individuals with first-molar sealant, decay-missing-filled first molar permanent teeth, and single crowns in the group aged 11-20 years were calculated. Data were analyzed using chi-square for complex samples and the complex samples general linear model. In addition, complex-sample logistic regression analysis was performed to confirm the association between factors. Compared with non-beneficiaries, among policy beneficiaries, sealant ownership increased by 7.7% (from 27.8 to 35.5, P