| R 103 |
| 2022 -- S 2164 Enacted 02/08/2022 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY OF 2022, TO BE "CHILDREN'S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Anderson, and Mendes |
| Date Introduced: February 08, 2022 |
| WHEREAS, The recognition of February as Children’s Dental Health Month 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, 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. Untreated cavities can cause pain, |
| infection, problems with eating, and speaking difficulties; and |
| WHEREAS, Sixty percent of children aged six through eleven do not receive sealants |
| and children from low-income families are 20 percent less likely to get sealants. Dental sealants, |
| once applied, protect against 80 percent of cavities for two years and continue to protect against |
| 50 percent of cavities for up to four years; and |
| WHEREAS, Dentists, dental hygienists and other qualified dental professionals can apply |
| sealants in the dental office, school-based sealant programs, mobile dental clinics, and |
| community settings; and |
| WHEREAS, We should all be working collectively to support the dental community, |
| 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 2022, 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, Rhode Island Rite |
| Smile Dental. |
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| LC004583 |
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