Bill Signed To Ensure Michigan Children have a Dental Check-Up Before Kindergarten
This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to ensure Michigan Children have a Dental Check-Up Before Kindergarten.
“These bills will prioritize the health and safety of our children by testing dental health at a young age,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office, we have expanded access and lowered the cost of health care. Let’s keep working together to make sure every child is safe, healthy and can build a bright future in Michigan.”
Senate Bill 280, sponsored by state Senator Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), requires dental oral assessments for children who are registering for the first time in kindergarten or the first grade in a Michigan school. The program will serve 112,000 kindergarteners in Michigan through the work of the State of Michigan and Delta Dental.
Although preventable with good oral hygiene and access to dental care, tooth decay remains the most common chronic childhood disease (five times more common than asthma) and is responsible for 51 million missed school hours nationally each year. In Michigan, almost half of Head Start children suffer from tooth decay, and close to one-third have untreated decay.
More than 67,800 children entering kindergarten do not have critical preventative care and have not had their teeth examined by a dental professional. The consequences can be enormous. Children with advanced tooth decay may have distracting pain, find it hard to sleep at night or have trouble eating foods essential for growth. In its early stages, tooth decay often causes no pain or discomfort and can go unnoticed until it worsens.
SB 280 allows for exceptions for children whose parent or guardian says the requirement violates their personal religious beliefs in a written statement.
To learn more about the bill, click on this link.
Information obtained from Gov. Whitmer’s office and Delta Dental.
Find more information about children’s dental health at this post.