The Massachusetts Dental Society is calling for mandatory dental exams for children entering kindergarten as part of a campaign linking oral health to overall health, according to a story in the Republican.
Earlier this year, the society filed a bill, H.444, with the state Legislature that requires that all public school students submit certification that they have received a dental exam within the last year, before entering kindergarten. The bill also mandates that the Department of Public Health create a standardized reporting form to be collected by the school system and further requires that the department create an electronic database system to collect the information.
Most kindergarten exams would be covered by health insurance, and the dental society will provide volunteer dentists for anyone without coverage, David Samuels, D.M.D., president of the society, told the Republican.
The mandatory exam would guarantee that young children are introduced to dental care, and also broaden the understanding of the dental needs of demographic groups, Dr. Samuels said.
All children would be required to have the exam by the end of their first year, and any family not wanting to participate could seek a waiver, Dr. Samuels said. If the bill is approved, the dental society would work with the state Department of Education and local school districts to implement the exams.
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