[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7399-7400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01912]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-21-20PM]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled Oral Health Basic Screening Survey for 
Children to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection 
Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on July 2, 
2020 to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC 
received three comments related to the previous notice. This notice 
serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency 
comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses; and
    (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570. Comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Direct 
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in 
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice 
publication.

Proposed Project

    Oral Health Basic Screening Survey for Children--Existing 
Collection in use without an OMB Control Number--National Center for 
Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[[Page 7400]]

Background and Brief Description

    Dental caries (tooth decay) is one of the most common chronic 
diseases among children in the United States and can lead to pain, 
infection, and diminished quality of life throughout the lifespan. 
Dental sealants are a cost-effective measure to prevent caries but 
remain underutilized.
    To address states' critical need for state-level oral health 
surveillance data on dental caries and sealants, the Association of 
State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) developed and released 
an oral health screening survey protocol referred to as the Basic 
Screening Survey (BSS) in 1999 in collaboration with the Ohio 
Department of Health and with technical assistance from the CDC's 
Division of Oral Health.
    BSS is a non-invasive visual observation of the mouth performed by 
trained screeners including dental and non-dental health professionals 
(e.g., dentists, hygienists, school nurses). The BSS data collection is 
not duplicative of any other federal collection. Though the National 
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collects national data 
on oral health status including dental caries and sealants based on 
clinical examination, it is not designed to provide state-level data. 
BSS is designed to be easy to perform while being consistent and 
aligned with the oral health Healthy People objectives, which are based 
on NHANES measures. BSS is the only data source that provides state-
representative data on oral health status based on clinical 
examination. BSS is also used to monitor state progress toward key 
national oral health objectives.
    The BSS is a state-tailored survey administered and conducted by 
individual states. CDC has supported some of the 50 states to build and 
maintain their oral health surveillance system and ASTDD to provide 
technical assistance to states through state and partner cooperative 
agreements since 2001. Conducting BSS for third graders is a key 
component of that support.
    The target populations include school children in grades K-3 and 
children enrolled in Head Start in 50 states and Washington, DC. ASTDD 
and CDC recommend that states conduct BSS at minimum for third graders 
at least once every five years. Individual states determine how often 
to conduct BSS and which grade or grades to target based on their 
program needs and available resources. Forty-seven states have 
conducted BSS for children, and all 47 conducted Third Grade BSS. 
Thirty-two states also have conducted BSS in one or more other grades 
(K-2) or in Head Start Programs. CDC estimates that approximately 34 
states, including 20 states currently funded by CDC, will conduct one 
BSS, at least for third grade, during the period for which this 
approval is being sought.
    State health departments administer the survey by determining 
probability samples, arranging logistics with selected schools or Head 
Start sites, gaining consent, obtaining demographic data, training 
screeners, conducting the oral health screening at schools or Head 
Start sites. Screeners record four data points either electronically or 
on a paper form: (1) Presence of treated caries, (2) presence of 
untreated tooth decay, (3) urgency of need for treatment, and (4) 
presence of dental sealants on at least one permanent molar tooth.
    State programs enter, clean and analyze the data; de-identify it; 
and respond to ASTDD's annual email request for state-aggregated 
prevalence of dental caries and sealants. ASTDD reviews the data to 
ensure that both survey design and data meet specific criteria before 
sending it to CDC for publication on the CDC's public-facing Oral 
Health Data website (www.cdc.gov/oralhealthdata).
    BSS for children serves as a key state oral health surveillance 
data source and facilitates state capacity to (1) monitor children's 
oral health status, trends, and disparities, and compare with other 
states; (2) inform planning, implementation and evaluation of effective 
oral health programs and policies; (3) measure state progress toward 
Healthy People objectives; and (4) educate the public and policy makers 
regarding cross-cutting public health programs. CDC also uses the data 
to evaluate performance of CDC oral health funding recipients.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                     Number of    Average burden
          Type of respondents                   Form name            Number of     responses per   per response
                                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)
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Child.................................  Screening form..........         150,370               1            5/60
Parent/caretaker......................  Consent.................         150,370               1            1/60
Screener..............................  Screening form..........             301               1          666/60
School/site...........................  Participation form......           2,890               1           68/60
State Official........................  Data Submission form....              34               1       32,742/60
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-01912 Filed 1-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P