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Regular Session, 2013
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 106
BY SENATOR THOMPSON
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. To urge and request the Department of Education and the
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to expand and enhance oral health care
education in Louisiana public schools.
A RESOLUTION1
To urge and request that the Department of Education and Board of Elementary and2
Secondary Education, endeavor to expand and enhance oral health education in3
Louisiana public schools.4
WHEREAS, tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease, yet5
fewer than half of the low-income children in Louisiana who are Medicaid-eligible actually6
see a dentist in any year; and7
WHEREAS, numerous studies have shown systemic associations between a variety8
of diseases of the mouth and afflictions in other parts of the body, including connections9
between periodontitis (gum disease), diabetes, and strokes; the consequences of poor oral10
health also include a host of conditions associated with poor nutrition, lost productivity due11
to pain, and even the possibility of death from untreated infections or oral cancer; and12
WHEREAS, the educational objectives for public elementary and secondary schools'13
curricula established by the Department of Education known as Grade Level Expectations,14
or GLEs, which schools must follow in designing their curricula, do presently include an oral15
health education component; and16
WHEREAS, the GLEs only apply at the kindergarten level, where they deal almost17
exclusively with brushing teeth, and at high school grade levels, but only in rather vague and18 SR NO. 106
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insignificant terms; and1
WHEREAS, the American Dental Association and Louisiana Dental Association,2
through its Children's Oral Health Education Initiative (COHEI), have identified a number3
of oral health education resources appropriate for, and beneficial to, children and have4
expressed a willingness to identify and/or develop more; and5
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislature hereby recognizes that good oral health is6
essential to good overall health and that comprehensive oral health education, especially in7
children's formative years, is a vital aspect of ensuring the development of optimal habits8
of good oral hygiene and ongoing preventive care, including regular visits to a dentist.9
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana10
does hereby urge and request that the Department of Education and Board of Elementary and11
Secondary Education, availing themselves as necessary of resources obtainable through the12
Louisiana Dental Association, endeavor to expand and enhance oral health education in13
Louisiana public schools through a greater emphasis on, and more comprehensive curricula14
requirements for, oral health care education, with a goal of all Louisiana children possessing15
a fundamental working knowledge and understanding of basic oral hygiene, effective16
preventive strategies, and common oral diseases and their consequences before all their17
permanent teeth have erupted.18
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the19
superintendent of the Department of Education and the president of the Board of Elementary20
and Secondary Education.21
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
Thompson SR No. 106
Requests that the Dept. of Education and BESE endeavor to expand and enhance oral health
education in La. public schools through a greater emphasis on, and more comprehensive
curricula requirements for, oral health care education, with a goal of all La. children
possessing a fundamental working knowledge and understanding of basic oral hygiene,
effective preventive strategies, and common oral diseases and their consequences before all
their permanent teeth have erupted.