The California State Assembly has passed legislation to provide preventive oral care for underserved children and adults.
The bill, AB 1174, passed 73-1 on January 27 and now heads to the state Senate, according to a statement by the Children's Partnership advocacy group.
"Good dental health is critical to overall health. Yet, tooth decay remains the most common chronic disease and unmet healthcare need of children in California," the group said. "Today's action by the California State Assembly moves our state one step closer to meeting those needs and improving dental care access for high-risk children and other populations throughout the state. AB 1174 would make it possible to implement the successful Virtual Dental Home demonstration project statewide, allowing large numbers of underserved children and adults to receive the preventative services they need."
The Virtual Dental Home program places specially trained dental hygienists and assistants in community settings such as schools and Head Start sites. Using current technology, the allied dental professionals work with dentists to bring needed dental care to children and poor adults.
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