Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 7, S.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Department of Health and the Department of Education to develop a plan to improve the oral health of children in the State of Hawaii.

DOH, the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii, and various concerned citizens submitted testimony supporting the intent of this measure.

Some of the testifiers recommended that this measure should exclude fluoride as any part of this plan to improve oral health and include dental hygienists as a part of the overall health care plan.

Your Committees understand that Hawaii faces an oral health care crisis. It is apparent throughout the community that Hawaii has one of the worst, if not the worst, rates of dental disease in the nation. Many children in Hawaii have limited access to much-needed dental disease prevention, early intervention, and dental treatment services. Your Committees believe that developing a plan to deal with children's oral health care needs will greatly reduce dental problems.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 7, S.D. 1, and recommend that be referred to the Committee on Finance.