Under a new state law that took effect in July, Iowa schools are now requiring proof that students have had a dental screening, according to a Sioux City Journal report.
Students enrolling in elementary or high school will be asked to show that they have had a dental screening. However, the exam does not have to be performed by a dentist -- a school nurse can conduct the screening -- and the new requirement can't prevent a child from attending school, according to the article.
"It's just a noninvasive, nondiagnostic look just to make sure children don't have any serious problems that could impact their health and their ability to do well in school," Sara Schlievert, a community health consultant for the Iowa Department of Public Health, told the newspaper.
The Iowa Department of Public Health offers funding to families to help pay for the screenings, the article states.
