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To assist the commissioner in carrying out the duties of the commissioner's office, the commissioner is authorized to appoint a reputable dentist in each county seat, who shall serve without compensation and shall be known as county mouth hygienist.
County health departments, both rural and metro, with existing dental staff and facilities receiving state or federal funds, shall, as a high priority to the extent possible within budgetary limitations, provide indigent children with comprehensive dental services and indigent adults with emergency dental services for the relief of pain and infections. The language “to the extent possible within budget limitations” as used in this section does not relieve metropolitan health departments with dental staffs and clinical facilities from occasionally providing emergency services to adult patients who present for relief of pain and infection. Subject to and within current or existing budget limitations, metropolitan health departments are to see adult emergency patients during cancelled or open appointments in their schedule. Nothing in this section precludes the health departments from charging a fee for those services. The commissioner has authority to monitor compliance and may request corrective actions if necessary.