NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 946

HOUSE BILL 779

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT THE PREVENTIVE DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.

 

Whereas, dental disease is the most prevalent health problem among school children, affecting ninety-five percent (95%); and

Whereas, the average child will experience 15 decayed teeth during school years and sixty-five percent (65%) of the children do not receive professional dental care; and

Whereas, dental disease may present barriers to effective learning; and

Whereas, the 10-year plan for preventive dentistry was presented to the General Assembly during the 1973 Session and was funded and the additional staff provided by the appropriation have rendered dental services to 18 new counties during the 1973-75 biennium as follows: Dental inspections, 94,731; referred to private practitioners, 38,784; preventive services, 78,707; educational services, 166,243; rural school water systems fluoridated, 45; and

Whereas, the Dental Health Section, Division of Health Services, Department of Human Resources, is operating under the 10-year plan, which was approved by the North Carolina Dental Society in 1973; and

Whereas, if this plan is followed and funds appropriated as called for in the 10-year plan, the amount of dental disease will be significantly reduced by 1983; and

Whereas, the increased funds would help to keep the disease reducing plan on schedule; and

Whereas, the funds would permit employment of additional dental hygienists; and

Whereas, the funds would permit the employment of technical workers; and

Whereas, these added services accruing would involve dental inspections and referral of school children, community fluoridation, rural school water fluoridation, fluoride supplements such as fluoride mouth rinse programs for school children, and a strong preventive dental health education program in schools and communities; and

Whereas, the vigorous effort to combat dental caries and periodontal disease, which causes loss of teeth, will decrease the cost of dental care to government and to individuals; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund of the State to the Department of Human Resources, in addition to all other appropriated funds, the sum of forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) for the 1975-1976 fiscal year and one hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($145,000) to continue in the implementation of the 10-year plan of the Dental Health Section, Division of Health Services, Department of Human Resources.

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1975.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 26th day of June, 1975.