Article 3. Dental Disease Prevention Programs of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 103. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.

The Legislature finds that 95 percent of all children in California have dental disease in the form of dental caries and periodontal disease. Dental disease in childhood can and does result in significant lifetime disability, dental pain, missing teeth, time lost from school and work, and the need for dentures. Poor nutrition in childhood is a major contributing factor in lifetime dental disability. The cost of treating the results of dental disease is close to two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) per year in California, of which approximately one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) is paid by the State of California for Denti-Cal treatment costs alone. The Legislature also finds that dental disease in children and the resultant abnormalities in adults can be prevented by education and treatment programs for children. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to establish for children in preschool through sixth grade, and in classes for individuals with exceptional needs, preventive dental programs which shall be financed and have standards established at the state level and which shall be operated at the local level.

A community dental disease prevention program may be offered to school children in preschool through sixth grade, and in classes for individuals with exceptional needs, by a local sponsor. A local sponsor may be a city or county health department, county office of education, superintendent of schools office, school district or other public or private nonprofit agency approved by the department. The program shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
  (a) Educational programs, focused on development of personal practices by pupils, that promote dental health. Emphasis shall include, but not be limited to, causes and prevention of dental diseases, nutrition and dental health, and the need for regular dental examination with appropriate repair of existing defects.
  (b) Preventive services including, but not limited to, ongoing plaque control, dental sealants, and supervised application of topical prophylactic agents for caries prevention, in accordance with this article or other preventive agents approved by the department. Services shall not include dental restoration, orthodontics, or extraction of teeth. Any acts performed, or services provided, under this article constituting the practice of dentistry shall be performed or provided by, or be subject to the supervision of, a licensed dentist in accordance with Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

An advisory board, including representatives from education, dental professions, and parent groups shall be designated by the local sponsor to advise on dental health programs funded under this article. The use of existing advisory bodies is encouraged. The board shall hold public meetings at least twice a year after appropriate notification in order that interested parties may provide input regarding the dental health needs of the community.

The minimal standards of the community dental disease prevention program shall be determined by the department in accordance with the purposes of this article, and may be revised periodically as deemed necessary by the department to further the purposes of this article.

The local health officer of each local health department interested in participating in the community dental disease prevention program, or his or her designee, in cooperation with the appropriate education personnel and the local advisory board, shall submit a proposal for the program to the department annually. The proposal shall include the methods by which the program will be implemented in each jurisdiction and program results reported. However, this function shall be the responsibility of the department for all counties that contract with the state for health services under Section 101300. These contract counties, at the option of the board of supervisors, may provide services pursuant to this article in the same manner as other county programs, provided the option is exercised six months prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. If the local health officer elects not to submit a program proposal, the department may solicit program proposals from other public or private nonprofit agencies and contract directly with the agencies. These proposals shall meet the same requirements as specified for local health officers in this section.

The department shall review the program proposals and approve programs that meet criteria established pursuant to Section 104785. The department shall, commencing July 1, 2000, through contractual arrangements, reimburse local sponsors with approved programs at an amount of ten dollars ($10.00), per participating child per year for administration and services, pursuant to Section 104775.

The local health officer or other sponsor may utilize or contract with, or both utilize and contract with, other local public and private nonprofit agencies, as well as school districts and county superintendents of schools, in conducting the program. The Legislature recognizes that these agencies, districts, and schools are currently engaged in a limited number of dental disease prevention projects and it is the intent of the Legislature that this participation be continued.

The State Department of Education shall assist the department in developing and evaluating educational programs in dental health and dental disease prevention. These programs may include, but are not limited to, teacher and program coordinator in-service workshops, development and review of appropriate educational materials, and evaluation of classroom dental health education presentations.

It shall be the responsibility of the governing board of each school district participating in the program and the governing authority of each private school participating in the program to cooperate with the local sponsor administering the community dental disease prevention program in carrying out the program in any school under their jurisdiction. Each participating school shall maintain participation records for each child and the necessary educational materials and supplies for plaque control and other required dental disease prevention methods provided by the program. Nothing in this article shall require participation by a public or private school in a program established pursuant to this article.

No child shall receive a preventive agent as part of a program established pursuant to this article unless the child's parent or guardian has given written notice to the governing body of the public or private school that the child may receive a preventive agent.

The dental disease prevention program established by this article shall be funded according to customary budget procedures and shall only be implemented upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the program established by this article shall be placed in effect in the areas of greatest identified need as determined by the department, in cooperation with the State Department of Education.