MS SC552

Urges the State Board of Education and State Board of Health to jointly recognize the link between oral health and children's ability to learn, noting that 51 million school hours per year are lost due to dental-related illnesses

Calls for development of "dental homes" through collaborative efforts with dental providers, Head Start, Medicaid, Department of Health, and WIC to provide oral health services to children in underserved communities

Recommends school-based oral health services including fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and dental health programs in elementary schools to train children in personal dental care

Encourages partnerships among universities, government, and the private sector to promote oral health awareness in educational and community settings

Proposes requiring third grade oral health school surveys to establish baseline metrics and set improvement goals for children's oral health statewide