NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1977 SESSION
CHAPTER 976
HOUSE BILL 780
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT THE PREVENTIVE DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND ALSO TO APPROPRIATE OTHER FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, DIVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES.
Whereas, dental disease is the most prevalent health problem among school children, affecting ninety-five percent (95%); and
Whereas, the average child will experience 15 decayed teeth during school years and sixty-five percent (65%) of the children do not receive professional dental care; and
Whereas, dental disease may present barriers to effective learning; and
Whereas, the 10-year plan for preventive dentistry was presented to the General Assembly during the 1973 and 1975 Sessions and was funded and the additional staff provided by the appropriation have rendered educational and preventive dental services in 18 new counties during the 1973-75 biennium and 10 new counties in the 1975-77 biennium; and
Whereas, the Dental Health Section, Division of Health Services, Department of Human Resources, is operating under the 10-year plan, approved by the North Carolina Dental Society in 1973 and strongly reaffirmed in 1975 and 1977; and
Whereas, if this plan is followed and funds appropriated as called for in the 10-year plan, the amount of dental disease will be significantly reduced by 1983; and
Whereas, the increased funds would keep the disease reducing plan on schedule; and
Whereas, the funds would permit employment of additional public health dental hygienists who would be assigned to counties not now being served; and
Whereas, these added services accruing would involve dental inspections and referral of preschool and school children, community fluoridation, rural school water fluoridation, fluoride supplements such as fluoride mouthrinse programs for preschool and school children, and a strong preventive dental health education program in day care and head start centers, schools, and communities; and
Whereas, the vigorous effort to combat dental caries and periodontal disease, which causes loss of teeth, will decrease the cost of dental care to government and to individuals; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund of the State to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Health Services, in addition to all other appropriated funds, the following amount for the purposes set out below for the 1977-79 biennium:
Public health dental hygienists – one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for fiscal year 1977-1978 and one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for fiscal year 1978-1979. The funds herein appropriated shall be used to supplement the preventive dental health program and provide for the employment of public health dental hygienists, necessary supplies, equipment, and travel funds.
Sec. 2. There is further appropriated to the Department of Human Resources, Division of Health Services, in addition to all other funds, the sum of eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) for fiscal year 1977-1978 and the sum of eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) for fiscal year 1978-1979 to be used for the purpose of paying the costs of public health inspection services.
Sec. 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 1977.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1977.