By Karena Cash, Data and Research Director, Kentucky Youth Advocates
Having a healthy smile is crucial to a child’s ability to learn and thrive in schools. An untreated cavity or gum pain can lead to a child being too distracted or in pain to learn, missing school, or ending up in the emergency room.
That’s why under Kentucky law, every child entering public kindergarten must have a dental screening or exam on file, completed during the calendar year they start school. However, post-COVID data shows us that most Kentucky kindergarteners are missing out on screenings. In the 2024-25 school year, less than two out of every five Kentucky kindergarteners, or 39%, received a dental screening. This is a decline from the 44% of students who received one in the 2023-24 school year. In raw numbers, that’s roughly 3,000 fewer kindergarteners receiving dental screenings during the 2024-2025 school year.
Looking at the district level, we see a decline across the majority of school districts. Of the school districts with comparable data, more than half saw a worse rate in the most recent school year. Twenty districts reported 2024-2025 rates at or below 20%, and five districts, such as Barbourville Independent, Clinton County, and Magoffin County, reported close to 0%. Some of the steepest drops came from both large urban and small rural districts. Jefferson County went from screening half its kindergarteners in 2023-2024 to just 26% in 2024-2025. Beechwood Independent saw a 29-point decline during this time period, and Mercer County saw a 24-point decline.
Survey: Kentucky children’s dental decay rates surpass national average by the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
Districts also swing wildly from year to year. For example, over a five year period, Allen County ranged from 48% to 81%, suggesting the shortfall isn’t only about dental access, but also about how consistently districts conduct, track, and report screenings and exams. This makes accessible, regular dental exams for young children even more important. Additionally, children with untreated tooth decay are nearly three times more likely to miss school due to pain, which can cause them to fall behind in critical educational and social milestones.
A law on the books doesn’t guarantee a kid sees a dentist. As we move into this next school year, work is needed to ensure that all students get checked for a healthy smile.
NOTE: Figures reflect what’s entered into Kentucky’s Infinite Campus system by each district, not necessarily what happened in an exam room. Real screening rates could be somewhat higher.
