Currently, only dentists are authorized to perform these screenings. The bill would amend the state’s Public School Code to allow hygienists to perform examinations.
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health found that of the more than 4,000 students in the third grade examined in 2021-22, 60% had cavities and one in 10 had an urgent need for a referral due to an infection or open mouth lesion.
The bill will now go to the full House for consideration.
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