Background: School-based dental programs target high-risk communities and reduce barriers to obtaining dental services by delivering care to students in their schools. We describe the evaluation of a school-based dental program operating in Chelsea, a city north of Boston, with a low-income and largely minority population, by comparing…

Various plans, including direct delivery of primary health care in public schools, are being suggested due to concern about the health of this nation's school children. The development of the role of the school in health care is explored. Current trends in school health programs are discussed. (Author/DF)