Dental Care and Programs

The DHD4 Oral Health Program focuses on the education and prevention of oral diseases for all ages. Regular checkups and proper oral health is important to your overall well-being. We support and partner with DHD4 through local dental providers to ensure that you have a healthy mouth, regardless of insurance status and income. Whether you need a teeth cleaning or a tooth removed, our local resources are ready to help!

 

Kindergarten Oral Health Requirement

Children's Program

Michigan passed a law to ensure kids enrolling into their first year of school have an oral health assessment prior to starting school. Michigan’s new Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) is important since poor oral health can affect a child’s attendance, grades, and overall performance in school. MI KOHA helps ensure each student is healthy and ready for a successful school year!

**Michigan’s new kindergarten dental checkup requirement helps schools identify children suffering from untreated dental disease and helps parents establish a dental home for their children.

 

 

For Parents and Caregivers
Michigan passed a law to ensure kids enrolling into their first year of school have an oral health assessment prior to starting school as part of school readiness activities for kindergarten entry. Check with your child’s school for details, as each school notifies parents and distributes the required form, which includes information about the law, consistent with school district polices. You may also talk to your current dental provider to assist with completing this assessment. To obtain more information and FAQ’s, we also encourage you to download our Parents Letter under the “Resources & Information” section below.
For Schools
Although fully preventable with access to a dentist and education, dental cavities remain the #1 chronic childhood disease and is responsible for 51 million missed school hours, nationally, each year. Children with poor oral health are 3 times more likely to miss school due to pain and infection linked to dental cavities. Tooth decay is a significant public health problem in Michigan. More than 1 in 3 Michigan Head Start children (35%) has already experienced tooth decay, almost 1 out of 4 Head Start children (22%) in Michigan have untreated tooth decay (MDHHS, 2018). Students in Michigan need healthy teeth and to be pain free to ensure they can achieve their highest individual learning potential while in school.

What can you do to help?

  • Notify Parents
  • Provide Access
  • Raise Awareness
  • Compile Data

To help with these requirements and to gain more information, please download our School Dental Flyer under the “Resources & Information” section below.

For Dental Clinics and Professionals

Michigan’s new required Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA), or evaluation, can be met in many ways. It can be a complete examination and treatment plan performed by a dentist, or it can be a more basic oral health evaluation, such as a screening, which can be performed by a dentist, dental hygienist, or a dental therapist.

The state-required assessment form (Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment form) is simply a tool to collect data about children’s oral health and communicate it to District Health Department No. 4 and the state.

To learn more and receive the required forms, please visit our “Resources & Information” section below.

Resources & Information

 

From ‘Drool to School’: When Should Your Child First See A Dentist?

How Does Fluoride Work (Infographic)?
Fluoride Varnish
Community Water Fluoridation FAQ’s
Parent/Caregiver Dental Flyer (PDF)
School Dental Flyer (PDF)
Dental Clinic/Professional Flyer (PDF)
Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Form (PDF)
Michigan Healthy Kids Dental Program
Dental Clinics North locations
State of Michigan’s Oral Health Plan 2025
Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Program (KOHA) (michigan.gov)

 

Dental Clinics

Dental Clinics North (DCN) provides quality, compassionate care for adults and children covered by Medicaid, Healthy Kids Dental, MIChild and most private insurances, as well as low-income uninsured patients. DCN also has reduced fees for uninsured veterans with proof of service. FOR DCN locations visit: www.dentalclinicsnorth.org

DCN Accepts:

  • Medicaid
  • Healthy Michigan Plan
  • MIChild
  • Low income, uninsured individuals whose income level is at or below 200% of the Federal poverty level on a sliding fee scale based on income
  • Most private insurance plans