Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment

California State Requirements

The Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment (KOHA) requirement was passed into law under the Education Code Section 49452.8 in 2005 by Assembly Bill 1433 (AB 1433). The law requires children enrolling in public school for their first year in kindergarten or first grade to have an oral health screening completed by a licensed dental professional. It also requires specific KOHA data be collected by school staff annually and submitted to the county office of education. The database developed for KOHA data is called the System for California Oral Health Reporting (SCOHR). 

The law was updated with Senate Bill 379 (SB 379) in 2017, allowing 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:

 

photo of kids brushing their teeth

 

  • 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 in to 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)

school readiness

KOHA Steps to Completion 

KOHA School District Flowchart | KOHA Flowcharts

 

 

kids raising hands