Flint, Michigan – As families in Genesee County get their kids ready for the new school year, local health authorities are reminding parents that taking care of their kids’ mouths is now a necessary part of getting them ready for kindergarten.
The Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) and Mott Children’s Health Center are working together to get families to sign up for dental screenings for kids who are going into kindergarten through the county’s Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) Program.
The law in Michigan, Public Act 316, says that all kids in kindergarten must have a dental screening. The requirement is meant to assist find dental problems that haven’t been treated yet, get families connected with continuous dental treatment, and teach them how to keep their teeth healthy.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human programs runs the program across the state, and local health departments like GCHD set up programs in their own areas.
Health officials believe the checks are vital because tooth decay continues to be the most common long-term problem in kids. The state says that almost half of Michigan Head Start students have tooth decay, and many of these cases go untreated.
Dental pain can make it hard for kids to focus in school and do things like eat and sleep. Kids who don’t take care of their teeth are also more likely to skip school because of dental concerns.
The KOHA program lets kindergarten students in Genesee County get a free dental checkup at Mott Children’s Health Center. A dentist looks at the child’s mouth during the short evaluation and writes down what they see on the official assessment form. Families are told if the child needs to see a dentist for more care, but the process doesn’t include treatment.
Parents can also choose to have the screening done at their child’s regular dentist’s office, where the insurance company may pay for the exam. Screenings can happen as early as six months before school starts or at any time during the kindergarten year. Many schools also hold on-site assessment activities during the school year to help families meet the requirement.
Leslie Pickard, a registered dental hygienist and hygiene supervisor at Mott Children’s Health Center, noted that the initiative has already helped find young children’s urgent dental needs. Pickard said that many of the kids who go to KOHA activities have never been to the dentist before, so the screenings are an essential first step in getting them regular dental treatment.
The health department additionally advises families to look for other alternatives if they need help finding dental care. Some dentists in Genesee County take Medicaid, and kids who don’t have insurance may be able to get help through the Healthy Kids Dental Program.
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Officials say the purpose of the program is simple: to make sure kids are healthy and ready to learn when they start school. The Genesee County Health Department’s main goal is to promote health, prevent disease, and support the well-being of everyone in the community. Programs like KOHA help them do this.