We have a wonderful opportunity before us to improve the oral health of children in California. The California Dental Association (CDA) successfully sponsored the landmark legislation in 2006 requiring children attending public school for the first time, at either kindergarten or first grade, to receive a dental check-up.
With this new law, we will be embarking on the ambitious project of connecting children with a regular source of dental care — what we call a dental home. The goal is not to allow any children to slip through the cracks. The children who currently do not have a dental home, to meet the requirements of the new law we expect many parents to begin looking for someone to provide their child with a dental checkup by May 31 of their child’s first year in school. In most instances, that dental checkup will be a full examination covered by a commercial insurance or government program in which the child is enrolled.
At this time the legislation itself simply requires an “assessment” of the child’s oral health and the completion of the data by May 31. This requirement is intended, at a minimum, to identify if further dental examination and treatment is required.
If your child has had a dental examination within the 12 months prior to the child’s entry into school, it meets this requirement. The school or dental home of your child will be able to provide the required assessment form (found at CDA.org) complete it and fax or mail it back to you.
Many things influence a child’s progress and success in school and one of the most important is their health. Children must be healthy to learn and children with cavities are not healthy. Cavities are preventable, but they affect more children than any other chronic disease! Really!
Children need their teeth to eat properly, speak, smile and feel good about themselves. Children with cavities eat poorly, stop smiling, and don’t learn properly. Tooth decay is an infection that does not heal without treatment. If cavities are not treated, children can develop infections severe enough to require emergency room treatment and their adult teeth may be permanently damaged.
It is critical to become educated about the condition of our children’s oral health, the consequences if disease is not treated and the benefits of ongoing care.
For questions or additional assistance, please call 800-CDA-SMILE or Heather Capito of A Unique Dental Experience® at 661-254-4000.