ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4276

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  June 3, 2024

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4276.

This bill requires the Department of Health (department) to use the Basic Screening Survey to assess oral health in children.

     Under the bill, the department, in conjunction with one or more licensed dentists and related staff, is to collect a sufficient number of random data samples from each county in the State on a biannual basis using the Basic Screening Survey produced by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors in order to formulate a general assessment of the oral health of pre-school and school aged children in this State.  No data is to be collected without the informed, written consent of a child’s parent or guardian.  Any data that is collected is to be collected and used in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws.

     The bill requires the department to submit a report biennially to the Governor, and to the Legislature, which report is to contain any findings and recommendations based on the data collected pursuant to the bill’s provisions.

      The Basic Screening Survey is used by states to assess oral health status.  Developed by the American Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors, this survey can be performed in dental clinics, at health fairs, at other screening opportunities, and through a retrospective chart review.  The Basic Screening Survey is not a thorough clinical examination and does not involve making a clinical diagnosis resulting in a treatment plan.  The Basic Screening Survey is intended to identify gross dental or oral lesions.