Dental Services Protocol
An initial dental screening must be conducted and dental screening forms completed for participating migrant students. The dental screening form should be initiated by authorized Migrant Education Program staff and the level of need documented by the participating dentist.
Available funding sources will be exhausted before a contract for supplemental services is generated by the Region I office.
It will be the responsibility of migrant staff, working in conjunction with the migrant parents/guardians of students in need of the dental services, to explore other funding options prior to generating a contract for supplemental services funded by the Migrant Education Program. Staff and parents must verify that the migrant child does not have existing dental insurance, is not eligible to receive assistance from any other program, and is in need of CLASS III or CLASS IV treatment.
After the initial screening has been conducted and other funding sources exhausted, the Region I office will generate a contract for services with the participating provider. The amount of the contract will be determined by the Region I staff based on (1) total available dental services funding and (2) the level of documented need. No services will be provided for CLASS II treatments until all CLASS III and CLASS IV issues have been addressed.
After the contract with the provider has been generated, and signed by all parties, then Dental Service Referral forms may be generated. The original Dental Screening Form, along with a Treatment Plan, shall be submitted with the Dental Service Referral. All sections of the form must be completed and signed by appropriate staff prior to submission for Regional Authorization. Once the authorized regional staff has signed the Dental Service Referral, services for the specific migrant child referenced in the form may commence.
Services shall be provided within 60 days of the authorization. MEP shall pay up to a maximum of $450 for any CLASS III or CLASS IV treatment. The migrant parent/guardian must agree to pay a minimum of 10% of the total for services rendered, and shall provide payment directly to the provider on the same day that services are rendered.
Billings to the Region I office should be submitted with 30 days of treatment. In no case may the total of the billings exceed the original amount of the contract with the provider. If there is a need to increase the amount of the original contract, and if funds are available, those terms must be negotiated between the provider and the Region I office.
In no case will dental services be provided after August 31 of the year in which the process has commenced, unless specifically authorized by the Regional Director.
