res24080

R 080

2024 -- S 2252
Enacted 02/08/2024

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY OF 2024, AS "NATIONAL CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senator Alana DiMario

Date Introduced: February 05, 2024

WHEREAS, Children’s Dental Health Month is a month-long national health observance

that provides an opportunity to highlight a child’s dental health as being a critical component of

overall well-being and essential to a child’s quality of life. A healthy mouth is meant to last a

lifetime and contributes to an individual’s self-esteem; and

WHEREAS, Good dental care begins as early as age one with good habits that are

reinforced through examples set by parents, caregivers, and older siblings in collaboration with

dental healthcare providers; and

WHEREAS, Childhood cavities remain the most prevalent, chronic, and curable disease

of childhood but some 100 million Americans fail to visit their dental office for routine

preventive care; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island’s poor and minority children are the most vulnerable and are

disproportionately and negatively affected by dental decay which remains the most prevalent

infectious disease of childhood. They are often left waiting months for necessary treatment or

surgical procedures; and

WHEREAS, Young children, between the ages of three and five, and those with special

needs are also at additional risk as they often cannot tolerate or understand the necessary dental

treatments which can lead to chronic dental pain and produces a negative impact on the child’s

mental and overall physical health; and

WHEREAS, This year, the slogan is “Fluoride in the water prevents cavities! Get it from

the tap!” Fluoride in water is the most efficient way to prevent common childhood diseases such

as tooth decay. Untreated cavities can cause pain, infection, problems with eating, and speaking

difficulties; and

WHEREAS, In addition, sealants, a protective thin coating placed on the chewing surface

of a child’s adult molar, as soon as the tooth appears in the mouth, have been shown to be a cost-

effective method of preventing cavities beginning in early childhood and can be applied in the

dental office, school-based sealant programs, mobile dental clinics, and community settings; and

WHEREAS, Communities should all be working collectively to support dental health

professionals, school-based dental health programs, and community organizations in advocating

for increased overall access to preventive programs that support sealant programs which in the

long-term reduces the future need for extensive and costly dental treatments; and

WHEREAS, Dental professionals, school administrators, state officials, and parents

should advocate for dental health educational and treatment programs for children and families;

now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby urges all citizens and

community organizations to observe February as National Children’s Dental Health Month; and

be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby proclaims February of 2024, to be "Children’s

Dental Health Month" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Ms. Marie Jones-Bridges, PHDH, BS, United

Healthcare, Rhode Island Community Based Coordinator, Specialty Benefits, RIte Smiles Dental.

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LC004698

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