The PA Department of Health has announced that the Dental Hygiene Services Program Authorization Plan must be submitted by school districts between April 1 to April 30, 2019 for the upcoming school year. School districts are reminded that completing the authorization plan does not automatically submit it. School districts are also reminded that they are still required to employ or contract with a dentist when they have a dental hygiene program and that the written plan must be approved when created, amended, and/or at least every three (3) years. Any school district that does not submit the Dental Hygiene Authorization Plan by April 30, 2019 will automatically be classified as a “Mandated Dental Program” and will not be able to convert to a hygiene program after April 30^th and no exceptions are permitted due to the dynamics of the SHARRS program.