HB 4223 Summary

• Establishes a dental oral assessment program by the 2021-2022 school year for children in Michigan whose parents do not arrange private dental assessments, conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services through contracted government entities or persons.

• Allows parents, guardians, or persons in loco parentis to have dental oral assessments performed by either a private dentist or dental hygienist (within 6 months before school registration) or through the state-contracted program.

• Requires dental oral assessments to include a limited clinical inspection by a dentist or dental hygienist to identify signs of oral or systemic disease, malformation, or injury, with written notification to parents if follow-up treatment is needed.

• Prohibits exclusion of children from school attendance for failure to present a dental assessment statement and requires schools to report dental assessment summaries to the department by November 1 of each year.

• Sunsets the dental oral assessment program on January 1, 2024, and does not apply in fiscal years without legislative appropriation for the program.