I don't know anything about this study, but am a lifelong NYC resident whose kids have gone through the public school system and who also has been directly invo

I don't know anything about this study, but am a lifelong NYC resident whose kids have gone through the public school system and who also has been directly involved as a "parent leader" in some DOE programs. With some confidence I posit the answers to the questions are a) very much yes b) yes c) n/a d) no. NYC DOE is an incredible organization that serves both the extremely wealthy and the extremely needy. There are schools where the majority of families are millionaires and the quality of the education and attention is competitive with $50k/year private schools. But there is much, much more pervasive need. Some estimates put 1/10 of the total attending population as homeless. 70% of the attending population are on some form of financial assistance. The range of services the DOE offers are astonishing. For various reasons they do NOT include anything that constitutes medical care, but they will regularly run studies that involve making medical resources available or provide some medical intervention. The needs in some areas are so great. As an efficient deliverer of in person services, there is no better organization than the DOE. It is very likely that most of the students in this study have never been- and never would otherwise be- to a dentist. They very likely get 1-2 meals a day from their school year round. They in many cases spend more waking hours in their school than at home. High poverty classrooms can be chaotic, but they often are much less chaotic than whatever home is. Consent was collected, to be sure- DOE is extremely careful about this. DOE legal is extremely aggressive because they are often sued- mostly by students of means but also by advocacy organizations, of which there are many. Very likely NYU was offered the option of where to do the study. They could have picked the Upper East Side or Tribeca- wealthy neighborhoods where kids will regularly attend boutique dental practices- but then what would they learn? The kids there are already getting sealants and so forth.