The survey was conducted during the 2001–2002 school year. The oral health assessment was designed to provide a representative sample of Delaware public school children in 3rd grade. The sample design was a random selection of schools from Delaware’s public school system. Schools were selected from a list generated from Delaware Department of Education data. Implicit stratification on county was used for the school selections. The list of Delaware schools was sorted by the three counties; this method ensured proportional sampling from the counties in the state. Twenty-three schools were selected and 19 agreed to participate. Forty-three percent of sampled children participated. The diagnostic criteria were comparable to ASTDD’s 1999 Basic Screening Survey. In the state, 40% of schoolchildren are eligible for the free/reduced lunch (FRL) program. Among students attending the selected schools, 37% of the students were eligible for FRL. Among students who participated in the survey, 41% were eligible for FRL. Estimates are reported both adjusted and unadjusted for nonresponse.

For more information about this survey, contact:

Gregory B. McClure, DMD, MPH
Dental Director
Delaware Health & Social Services
Jesse Cooper Building
417 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Telephone: 302-744-4701
Fax: 302-739-6659
E-mail: greg.mcclure@state.de.us