To: Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Superintendents
Heads of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities

1. In view of the high prevalence of dental diseases among elementary and secondary children, it becomes essential to require pre-admission dental health examination certificates of new entrants in elementary and secondary schools, both public and private.
2. The objectives of this dental health examination requirement are:
   1. to create dental health awareness among the school children and the people in the community on the importance and value of good dental health;
   2. to identify dental diseases among the school children; and
   3. to provide preventive, corrective and/or remedial measures as may be necessary to correct such dental defects as early as possible.
3. All schools, both public and private, shall require all prospective Grade I pupils and First Year high school entrants to submit a signed certification of dental health clearance issued by a government dentist or any practitioner in the locality. Such certification shall indicate, among others, the relevant dental health findings including number of teeth with dental caries, gums diseases, type of malocclusion, number of missing teeth and other dental abnormalities such as cleft palate and harelip, artificial restorations, etc. Inclosed is the dental health record to be used by the dentist.
4. On the basis of these dental health examinations, it shall be the responsibility of the school administrators: a) in case of private schools, to refer these pupils and students to a dental practitioner for proper corrective and/or remedial dental health measure; and b) in case of public schools, to refer it to the school dentists/dental supervisors, or to the rural health dentists for remedial dental health measures.
5. Regional/Division dental supervisors are requested to determine areas of priority, to be served based on the degree of prevalence in their respective areas of school coverage. They shall also be responsible for the effective implementation of the requirement.
6. A summary dental health report of schools, both public and private, complying with this requirement should be submitted in a separate school report to the School Health and Nutrition Center, MECS, Intramuros, Manila at the end of each semester of every school year. The report shall include among others, number of schools complying with this requirement, dental findings and treatment rendered to the school children.
7. Early dissemination of this Order to all concerned is desired.

(SGD.) LOURDES R. QUISUMBING
Minister

Incl.: As stated
Reference: None
Allotment: 1-2-4–(D.O. 1-76)

To be indicated in the Perpetual – Index under the following subjects:
HEALTH EDUCATION
PUPILS
REPORT
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS

DO_s1986_51