Board adds opt-in language to school dental screening contract and backs Smiles on Wheels with conditions

The advisory board recommended that the Board of Commissioners approve a county contract with Smiles on Wheels to provide kindergarten oral health assessments and voted to add explicit opt-in consent language to the contract.

Staff described the Smiles on Wheels program as a voluntary, no-cost screening option that identifies children who lack access to dental care and refers them for treatment; the program does not provide sealants, fluoride or bill insurance. In its pilot year the provider performed 437 screenings in 2024–25 and identified untreated decay and urgent needs in a subset of children.

Several board members, led by Commissioner Rushing and others, urged an opt-in consent model to ensure parental knowledge and guard against perceived state-driven intrusion. Opponents said opt-in logistics could reduce participation and thereby deny screenings to children who lack dental care access. After extended debate the board voted to amend its support to require opt-in language in the recommended contract; a subsequent roll-call vote to recommend the contract to the Board of Commissioners with the opt-in amendment passed.

The board asked staff to request contract language incorporating parental consent provisions, to clarify school participation and FERPA protections, and to report to the board before the commissioners act. Board members also stressed coordination with Head Start and school enrollment events to maximize outreach to students who lack dental care.