California State Requirements
The Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) requirement was passed into law in 2005 by Assembly Bill 1433 (AB 1433) under the Education Code Section 49452.8. In 2025, Assembly Bill 2630 specifies “kindergarten” to include both transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten, requiring children enrolled in public school for their first year in transitional kindergarten (TK), kindergarten, or first grade to have an oral health screening completed by a licensed dental professional.
Note: TK students who receive an oral health screening do not have to repeat the oral health screening at kindergarten or first grade for the purposes of this law. However, it is recommended that children receive regular dental care to improve school success, reduce chronic absences, and improve their overall health. The law also requires specific KOHA data be collected by school staff annually and submitted to their County Office of Education. The database developed for KOHA data is called the System for California Oral Health Reporting (SCOHR).
Senate Bill 379 (SB 379), passed in 2017, allows schools to use passive consent at oral health screening events at schools. This means every child will receive a screening if offered at their school unless their parent/caregiver signs a letter asking that their child not receive the screening (opting out).
The KOHA screening is:
- Free
- Quick (usually around two minutes)
- Completed at the child’s regularly scheduled dental appointment or at a school screening event
- Not a complete oral health examination or evaluation
- Not used to provide any dental diagnoses for the child
- To be completed and turned into the school as close to the beginning of the school year as possible
- Due before the end of the school year (or by May 31st, whichever comes first)
KOHA Steps to Completion
KOHA School District Flowchart | KOHA Flowcharts
Tips and Promising Practices for Implementing KOHA
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
KOHA Templates for Schools