Kindergarten Oral Health Requirement
New Law Requires Kindergarten Dental Check-up
In 2006, CDA sponsored AB 1433 (Emmerson/Laird). This landmark legislation requires that children have a dental check-up by May 31 of their first year in public school, at kindergarten or first grade. Dental evaluations that have happened within the 12 months prior to school entry also meet this requirement. If a dental check-up cannot be obtained, parents may get an excuse from this requirement by filling out the form provided by the child's school. Copies of the required form are available at the child’s school, at the California Department of Education Web site, or by clicking here.
The ultimate goal of this program is to establish a regular source of dental care for every child. The program will also identify children who need further examination and dental treatment, and will identify barriers to receiving care.
Many things influence a child’s progress and success in school – and one of the most important is their health. Children must be healthy to learn and children with cavities are not healthy. Cavities are preventable, but they affect more children than any other chronic disease!
Children need their teeth to eat properly, speak, smile and feel good about themselves. Children with cavities eat poorly, stop smiling, and don’t learn properly. Tooth decay is an infection that does not heal without treatment. If cavities are not treated, children can develop infections severe enough to require emergency room treatment and their adult teeth may be permanently damaged.
For further information, click on the appropriate link. Questions? Contact Gayle Mathe, Community Health Advocate at gayle.mathe@cda.org or call 916.554.4995.
Information for Dental Professionals
Information for Parents and Guardians
State-Required Assessment Forms
Kindergarten Dental Checkup Campaign Information
Oral Health Requirement Campaign Press Release
Shared Resources for Children's Oral Health
Oral Health Fact Sheets
How can you protect your teeth so that they will serve you for a very long time? When it comes to maintaining oral health, ask questions! Find answers to your oral health questions with our oral health fact sheets, now available in English, Spanish, Hmong, Chinese, Russian, and Vietnamese.