HB 83 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ORAL HEALTH SCREENINGS.

Summary

This Act requires every public school and charter school to provide students enrolled in kindergarten with an oral health screening by the last student attendance day of each school year. Notification to the parent or guardian must be done and a copy of the oral health screening results sent home. A referral to a dentist, if required, will be provided by the Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services. The Division of Public Health (DPH), through the Delaware Smile Check Program, offers school-based oral screenings, at no cost to the school districts, schools, including charter schools, or the students. This Substitute Bill takes out the requirement to advise teachers of the results of the oral health screenings, including Special Education Coordinators and Educational Diagnosticians of students with an IEP. This Substitute Bill also removes any follow-up requirements, by the school, with the student’s parent or guardian. The Substitute Bill also makes the school requirements, under this Act, contingent on the Delaware Smile Check Program remaining in effect or a comparable program to provide free oral health screenings to all enrolled kindergarten students. This Act takes effect for the 2024-2025 school year.

Bill Text

• Bill Text View text Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill mandates oral health screenings for kindergarten students and modifies notification and referral requirements.

• § 4123

  The school must notify the student’s teacher of the student’s oral health screening results, including results related to students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

  The requirement for schools to notify teachers about oral health screening results is removed.

• § 4123

  If a student fails an oral health screening, the school must notify the student’s parent, guardian, or relative caregiver and provide a follow-up of the results to the parent or guardian.

  The follow-up requirement for schools to communicate with parents or guardians about the oral health screening results is removed.

• § 4123

  The requirements of this section are not contingent on the availability of the Delaware Smile Check Program under the Department of Health and Social Services. → The requirements of this section are contingent on the ongoing funding and implementation of the Delaware Smile Check Program under the Department of Health and Social Services or other comparable program of sufficient capacity to provide free oral health screenings to all enrolled kindergarten students.

  The bill makes compliance with the oral health screening requirements dependent on the continued existence of the Delaware Smile Check Program or a similar program.

Action History

1. August 03, 2023

   Signed by Governor

2. June 15, 2023

   Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

3. May 17, 2023

   Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 8 Favorable

4. May 09, 2023

   Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

5. May 09, 2023

   Passed By House. Votes: 34 YES 7 ABSENT

6. May 03, 2023

   Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 7 Favorable, 5 On Its Merits

7. April 26, 2023

   Adopted in lieu of the original bill HB 83, and Assigned to Education Committee in House

Sponsors

• Stell Parker Selby · Primary
• Sean Matthews · Primary
• David L. Wilson · Primary
• John "Jack" Walsh · Primary
• David P. Sokola · Primary
• Madinah Wilson-Anton · Primary
• Edward S. Osienski · Primary
• Marie Pinkney · Primary
• Eric Morrison · Primary
• Spiros Mantzavinos · Primary
• Kendra Johnson · Primary
• Laura V. Sturgeon · Primary
• Russell Huxtable · Primary
• Nicole Poore · Primary
• Kimberly Williams · Primary
• Sherry Dorsey Walker · Primary
• Sarah McBride · Primary
• Paul S. Baumbach · Primary
• Peter C. Schwartzkopf · Primary

Votes

Subjects