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Regular Session, 2011
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 32
BY SENATOR CHEEK
HEALTH/HOSPITALS DEPT. Requests DHH to study the benefits of permitting
physicians to apply fluoride varnish to the teeth of children under the age of seven who are
enrolled in the Medicaid program.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To request the Department of Health and Hospitals to study whether to amend Louisiana's2
State Medicaid Plan to permit physicians to apply fluoride varnish to the teeth of3
children under the age of seven who are enrolled in the state Medicaid program and4
receive appropriate reimbursement, to determine the feasibility of providing such5
reimbursement, to estimate the costs of such a program, and to submit a written6
report of its findings and conclusions, including any recommendations for legislation7
and appropriations relative to the issue, to the Senate Committee on Health and8
Welfare and the House Committee on Health and Welfare by February 1, 2012.9
WHEREAS, tooth decay (dental caries) is the most common chronic10
childhood disease; and11
WHEREAS, tooth decay is an almost completely preventable disease; and12
WHEREAS, early childhood dental caries signal a serious threat to the13
current and future health and school success of Louisiana's youngest children; and14
WHEREAS, sixty-six percent of Louisiana's third grade children have15
already experienced at least one cavity in their lifetime according to the Bright16
Smiles for Bright Futures Basic Screening Survey conducted by the Department of17
Health and Hospitals' Oral Health Program; and18 SCR NO. 32
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WHEREAS, strong evidence and the experience of other states have shown1
that the application of fluoride varnish is a safe and effective strategy to significantly2
reduce the incidence of cavities among high-risk young children; and3
WHEREAS, respected professional organizations, including the American4
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Dental Association, the American Academy5
of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors,6
have endorsed the use of fluoride varnish for individuals at moderate to high risk for7
tooth decay in order to reduce lifetime dental caries experience; and8
WHEREAS, many Louisiana children have limited access to dental care, as9
evidenced by the facts that just thirty-eight percent of eligible children served by10
Medicaid in State Fiscal Year 2010 received dental care over the course of the year11
and fifty-six of Louisiana's sixty-four parishes are considered to be dental health12
professional shortage areas; and13
WHEREAS, young children are far more likely to visit a medical provider14
than a dentist, as evidenced by the fact that in 2007, forty-nine percent of Louisiana15
children five years of age and younger had not received preventive dental care visits16
in the previous year, but just seven percent of children under the age of five had not17
received preventive medical care; and18
WHEREAS, only twenty-eight percent of Louisiana's population has access19
to fluoridated water, ranking Louisiana forty-seventh among the states in a recent20
analysis conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and21
WHEREAS, Louisiana's low rate of fluoridation of community water22
supplies creates an even greater need for fluoride varnish to protect the teeth of23
young children; and24
WHEREAS, the costs of repairing tooth decay and subsequent maintenance25
of repairs throughout life could be reduced significantly through fluoride varnish26
application at the earliest ages; and27
WHEREAS, pediatricians and family physicians who see and follow children28
from birth are ideally positioned to positively impact the oral health of our youngest29
children by applying fluoride varnish, by educating parents on the elements of good30 SCR NO. 32
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oral hygiene in the earliest years, and by referring young children to dentists; and1
WHEREAS, forty-three other states have approved Medicaid reimbursement2
for medical providers to apply fluoride varnish; and3
WHEREAS, states have projected net savings for their Medicaid programs4
as a result of their fluoride varnish programs; and5
WHEREAS, Louisiana can best seek to save money and improve health6
through prevention wherever possible; and7
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics,8
the Louisiana Dental Association, the Louisiana State Medical Society, the Louisiana9
Oral Health Coalition, and Agenda for Children support the implementation of a10
program to reimburse medical providers for the application of fluoride varnish to the11
teeth of children under the age of seven through the state's Medicaid program.12
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does13
hereby urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals to study whether to14
amend Louisiana's State Medicaid Plan to provide Medicaid reimbursement to15
medical providers for the application of fluoride varnish to the teeth of children16
under the age of seven who are enrolled in the state Medicaid program, to determine17
the feasibility of providing such reimbursement, to estimate the costs of such a18
program, and to submit a written report of its findings and conclusions, including any19
recommendations for legislation and appropriations relative to the issue, to the20
Senate Committee on Health and Welfare and the House Committee on Health and21
Welfare by February 1, 2012.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be transmitted23
to the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals and to the Louisiana Oral24
Health Coalition.25 SCR NO. 32
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Greg Waddell.
DIGEST
Cheek SCR No.
Requests DHH to study whether to amend Louisiana's State Medicaid Plan to permit
physicians to apply fluoride varnish to the teeth of children under the age of seven who are
enrolled in the state Medicaid program and receive appropriate reimbursement, to determine
the feasibility of providing such reimbursement, to estimate the costs of such a program, and
to submit a written report of its findings and conclusions, including any recommendations
for legislation and appropriations relative to the issue, to the Senate Committee on Health
and Welfare and the House Committee on Health and Welfare by February 1, 2012.