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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR King

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/25/08

HB 419

SHORT TITLE Dental Services For Certain Children

SB

ANALYST Hanika-Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 419 appropriates $100 thousand from the General Fund to DOH in FY09 to contract

with a nonprofit company to provide dental services, including comprehensive examinations,

oral cancer screening, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride treatment and sealants, and oral health education

to underserved children statewide who have little access to dental professionals and who are at

high risk for dental disease.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General

Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to

the General Fund.

DOH reports that both the Legislative and Executive base budget recommendations contain

$1,138,500 in General Fund (Category 300-contractural services) to provide dental services

statewide. Of that total, $100,000 is earmarked to provide dental care to indigent people. Both

the DFA and the LFC recommendations contain $440,000 in General Fund (Category 400-other)

to fund provider agreements for dental services statewide.

House Bill 419 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH notes that the need for oral health care is one of the most prevalent unmet health care needs

among children and adolescents. Tooth decay is the most common childhood disease, and five

times more common than asthma. Annually, 56 million school hours are lost as a result of dental

disease among children.

DOH further notes that in 1999-2000, in a screening of a sample of New Mexico third graders, it

was estimated that 64% had cavities and 37% had untreated decay. This survey also found that

27% of these children did not obtain needed dental care within a given year, and 10% had never

been to a dentist.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

While the funding in HB 419 is not included in the DOH’s Executive Budget Request, HB 419 is

related to the DOH Strategic Plan, Program Area 2: Public Health, Objective 8: Improve Access

to Preventive and Restorative Oral Health Services Provided to Children, Low Income Rural

Populations and People with Disabilities.

Performance Measure: Number of children provided fluoride varnish and dental sealant in each

region by DOH Office of Oral Health staff and selected providers.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DOH notes the Department currently provides funds for dental services through the existing

State procurement process; and, there would be little administrative impact for existing staff.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

HB419 relates to House Joint Memorial 12, which would require the State Health Policy

Commission and the University of New Mexico, Dental Division to study the establishment of a

dental school.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

DOH further notes that dental disease is found in low-income, noninsured, and minority children.

Hispanic children and adolescents are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic white children and

adolescents not to have had contact with an oral health professional in the last two years. 997.

AHO/nt