Kentucky children required to attend dental examinations
Children in Kentucky will be required by law to show evidence of a dental examination before January 1st of the year they enter school.
The new measure has been put in place to try and improve standards of oral health amongst children and encourage parents to take their children for regular dental examinations. Mike Porter, executive director of the Kentucky Dental Association, was one of a number of people who pushed for the legislation to be passed back in 2008. According to Porter, the new law will ensure all children attend a dental examination before they start school; introducing children to dentists from an early age will also help them to establish positive relationships with dentists and reduce the risk of children developing dental anxiety, which may cause them to avoid going to the dentist in the future.
The new requirement has also been welcomed by Dr Charlotte Haney, from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry; Dr Haney said that most people don’t look after their teeth as well as other parts of their body. Most people do not realise the importance of good oral health and neglect their teeth and gums as a result. However, Dr Haney feels that the new law will help to get children involved in oral hygiene from an early age and this will in turn improve standards of oral health in the future.
Dr Haney is keen for parents and children to realise the importance of having good oral health; having a healthy smile not only boosts your confidence and gives you better career prospects, but it also contributes to good general health; a large number of studies have now confirmed a strong link between dental health and overall health and many have suggested that poor oral health contributes to a higher risk of serious medical issues, including heart disease and diabetes.
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