School Dental Screenings
All Iowa children enrolling in Kindergarten or 9th grade are required to have a dental screening. This requirement was passed by the 2007 legislature and became effective July 1, 2008. The purpose of the dental screening requirement is to improve the oral health of Iowa's children. Dental screenings help with early detection and treatment of dental disease, promote the importance of oral health for school readiness and learning, and contribute to statewide surveillance of oral health.
Dental screenings are provided by an integrated network of health care professionals to supplement Iowa's dental workforce. Regional I-Smile coordinators, serving at the "hub" of this network, partner with schools to assist students who need a screening or require follow-up dental care.