The Every Smile Counts 2022 Children's report is based on a survey COHI was contracted to conduct through the Connecticut Department of Public Health and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report follows the 2007, 2012, and 2017 Every Smile Counts reports, to inform the development of state policies and programs that ensure Connecticut's children have access to preventative and therapeutic dental care for optimal oral health. 

The 2022 Every Smiles Counts statewide health survey of kindergarten and third grade children is based on a representative sample of elementary schools. More than 4,600 children received dental screenings in 46 schools and 37 school districts. The oral health information collected is organized into nine key findings. 

The report identifies several serious concerns, such as the continuation of dental decay, race and ethnicity-based disparities in levels of dental disease, an inadequate percentage of children with dental sealants, and that Connecticut has still not met the objectives of national or state oral health improvement plans.

Stakeholders must commit to making changes, pursuing funding, collecting data, and measuring progress in order to establish the oral health of Connecticut's children as an integral part of their overall health and well-being. The report outlines numerous policy recommendations for stakeholders to consider and pursue.