The role and responsibility of schools in affecting dental health status--a potential yet unrealized.

In summary, the schools' role in affecting dental health status for children remains as a potential yet unrealized. Schools have a tremendous capacity to be supportive of programs involving preventive health and preventive dentistry for children. In order to activate such potential, there must develop stronger national and regional health planning and initiatives. Such initiatives must proceed on the basis of sound evaluation support for methods of improving dental health, must seek involvement and integration of the health and educational system, and must seek to finance and refinance school health efforts under the rubric of health care expenditures.