104770-104825

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 104770-104825




104770.  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.



104775.  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.




104780.  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.



104785.  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.



104790.  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.



104795.  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.



104800.  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.



104805.  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.



104810.  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.




104815.  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.



104820.  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.


104825.  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.