Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 4 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the development of a plan to improve the oral health for children in the State. This plan is to include:

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health, Department of Education, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, and the Hawaii Primary Care Association. Comments were submitted by the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's baby bottle tooth decay rate (14%) is nearly three times higher than the national rate (5%). Your Committee further finds that Hawaii's children between 5 and 9 years of age have an average of 3.7 cavities where the national average is 1.9 per child. Children in Hawaii have limited access to much needed dental disease prevention, early intervention, and dental treatment services. This measure will encourage the development of a plan to address our children's oral health.

Your Committee has amended this measure by allowing all dental hygienists in the State of Hawaii to be able to participate in the planing and development of dental community programs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 4, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 4, S.D. 1.