• Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA)
     
    State law requires children to have an oral health assessment or dental check-up in their first year in public school – whether in kindergarten or first grade. The assessment must be performed by a licensed dentist or other licensed or registered dental health professional no earlier than 12 months before the date of a child’s initial enrollment in school and no later than May 31 of the school year. The dentist will complete the Oral Health Assessment form, which then must be submitted to the school as proof that the assessment has been done. The school shall maintain the privacy of all students’ health information. A student’s identity shall not be associated with any report produced as a result of this requirement.

    A parent who is unable to obtain the oral health assessment must complete a Waiver of Oral Health Assessment Requirement form and submit that to the school.

    To help find a dentist, call the Medi-Cal Telephone Service Center at 1-800-322-6384 or visit Medi-Cal Dental (https://dental.dhcs.ca.gov/) to find a dentist that accepts Medi-Cal. To enroll a child in Medi-Cal, parents can apply by mail, go in person to the local Social Services office, or online at Apply for Medi-Cal (https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/pages/applyformedi-cal.aspx