EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0771*
HOUSE BILL 771
F1 5lr1191
HB 167/24 – W&M
By: Delegate Harrison
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Student Health – Program for Student Dental Health – Established 2
FOR the purpose of requiring, beginning in a certain school year, certain students to submit 3
a certificate of dental health to their school on a certain schedule; requiring the 4
Maryland Department of Health to establish a program for student dental health; 5
requiring the Department to develop a certificate of dental health for use in public 6
schools; and generally relating to a program for student dental health. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–402.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 20–2302 to be under the amended subtitle “Subtitle 23. Dental Health 15
Programs” 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Education 21
7–402.1. 22
BEGINNING IN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH STUDENT ENROLLE D IN A 23
PUBLIC ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THE STATE SHALL SUBMIT TO THE 24 2 HOUSE BILL 771
SCHOOL A CERTIFICATE OF DENTAL HEALTH IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HE PROGRAM 1
FOR STUDENT DENTAL H EALTH ESTABLISHED UNDER § 20–2302 OF THE HEALTH – 2
GENERAL ARTICLE, ON A SCHEDULE ESTABL ISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT . 3
Article – Health – General 4
Subtitle 23. [Plain Language] Dental HEALTH [Information] PROGRAMS. 5
20–2302. 6
(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTA BLISH A PROGRAM FOR STUDENT 7
DENTAL HEALTH . 8
(B) THE DEPARTMENT ’S PROGRAM SHALL INCL UDE: 9
(1) STANDARDS FOR THE PER IODIC DENTAL EXAMINA TIONS OF 10
STUDENTS; 11
(2) THE CREATION OF A CER TIFICATE OF DENTAL H EALTH THAT CAN 12
BE USED BY PUBLIC SC HOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 7–402.1 OF THE EDUCATION 13
ARTICLE; 14
(3) THE CREATION OF A STA NDARD FORM TO BE USE D BY HEALTH 15
CARE PRACTITIONERS , PARENTS, AND SCHOOLS TO CERTI FY A STUDENT’S DENTAL 16
HEALTH; AND 17
(4) INFORMATION FOR STUDE NTS AND PARENTS ON : 18
(I) HOW TO FIND INSURANCE THAT WILL COVER DENT AL 19
HEALTH CARE ; 20
(II) LISTS OF PEDIATRIC DE NTISTS LOCATED IN AR EAS; AND 21
(III) THE IMPORTANCE OF DEN TAL HEALTH TO A STUD ENT’S 22
OVERALL HEALTH AND W ELL–BEING. 23
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPL EMENT ITS PROGRAM ON A SCHEDULE 24
THAT ALLOWS EACH STU DENT TO SUBMIT A CER TIFICATE OF DENTAL HEALTH TO 25
THE STUDENT ’S PUBLIC SCHOOL BEGI NNING IN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR , IN 26
ACCORDANCE WITH § 7–402.1 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 27
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THIS 28
SECTION. 29
HOUSE BILL 771 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 1
October 1, 2025. 2