BOP Program Statement 6400.03 § 7

a. Oral Health Education. Preventive dental health care starts at the Admissions and

Orientation (A&O) examination. Personal oral hygiene is essential to good oral health

promotion/disease prevention. Oral health information/education is provided to all inmates

during the A&O examination and each subsequent dental visit.

Dental staff promote the understanding of the relationship between dental plaque and the

development and progress of oral and systemic diseases. Patient education includes information

on the relationship between oral diseases and tobacco products, alcohol, and other drugs.

Dental staff should take every opportunity to provide oral health and hygiene information to the

institution population (pamphlets, video presentations in waiting areas, booklets, A&O

orientation, etc.).

The techniques for brushing and interdental aids will be reviewed at A&O and hygiene

appointments. Issues of diet and nutrition will be discussed, reviewing the relationship of food

intake (substances and frequency), plaque formation, and dental pathology.

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b. Requirement for Adequate and Proper Oral Hygiene. The dental hygiene program is

responsible for ensuring that inmates can demonstrate adequate and proper oral hygiene. The

treating dentist may discontinue comprehensive dental care any time it becomes apparent the

inmate is not practicing proper oral hygiene. These inmates will still have access to urgent care

through sick call.

c. Oral Hygiene Products. The CDO ensures that the institution Commissary has toothbrushes,

floss or suitable substitutes, fluoride dentifrices, denture adhesives, denture baths/cups, etc.

CDOs should refer to the Interdental Aid Resource Guide. Inmates may be provided oral health

specialty products as needed that are not otherwise available in the commissary. Indigent

inmates will be provided items available per the Institution Supplement on a schedule deemed

appropriate by dental staff.