Hawaii Hopes to Broaden Access to School-Based Dental Care

Hawaii implemented a school-based oral healthcare program—Hawaii Keiki–Hawaii Dental Service Dental Sealant Program—that brings dentists and dental assistants to public schools 4 years ago. The school-based program enables keiki (Hawaiian term for children) in the third and fourth grades to receive free oral health examinations and sealant applications while at school. During the current school year, the program will reach 50 public schools and serve more than 800 keiki. The demand to expand this program has grown exponentially since its inception, and state legislators want to address this need. State legislators have proposed HB 617, a bill that would create a state oral health taskforce to address barriers to dental care faced by the state’s children. Click here to read more.