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An Act To Improve Oral Health Care for Maine's Children
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6451, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 693, §§5 and 8, is amended to read:
 
1. Student right to screening for sight and hearing defects and oral health problems. Each student shallmust be screened periodically to determine whether they havethe student has sight or hearing defects or oral health problems.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §6451, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.  Oral health screening.   Oral health screening under this section may be performed by a dentist or a dental hygienist licensed under Title 32, chapter 16, subchapter 4. Each student must be screened prior to beginning kindergarten, or upon entry into the school district when entering grades 1 to 6, and periodically thereafter to determine whether the student has oral health problems.
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §6454, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 653, §1, is amended to read:
§ 6454.Oral health assessments and screenings
The commissioner shall cooperate with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services in implementing a grant program developed in accordance with Title 22, section 2128 to implement the requirements of section 6451 with regard to oral health screening and to increase the provision of oral health assessments or screenings for children entering elementary school. A child whose parent objects in writing to an oral health assessment or screening on religious grounds may not be assessed or screened.
 
SUMMARY
This bill expands health screening in schools to include oral health screening. The bill requires oral health screening for students prior to entering kindergarten and for new students to a school district entering grades 1 to 6 and periodically thereafter. The bill coordinates oral health screening done under the new requirement with oral health screening done through a grant program with the Department of Health and Human Services under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6454 and Title 22, section 2128.