On June
25, Gov. Kate Brown (D-OR) signed H.B. 2972
into
law. Under the new law, Oregon children who are starting public school and are
seven years old or younger will be required to have dental screenings, or show
proof they have had one.
Specifically,
starting with the 2016–17 school year, new students will have to submit
certification that they have received a screening within the previous 12 months
from a licensed dentist or dental hygienist, or from a qualified health care
practitioner who is a school employee trained to spot dental problems. The
certification must be submitted within 120 days of the student’s first day, for
the student to remain enrolled. In certain circumstances, a student may be
exempt from this requirement.
Rep. Cedric Hayden
(R-OR), a dentist who sponsored the bill, said it will have little impact on
children who already receive regular dental care. “This is designed to capture
children that don’t have that opportunity,” he said.
The
new law also requires school districts to report to the state annually on the
percentage of their students who did not submit dental certifications.