Dental agenda moves forward in new Congress

Washington鈥擜sserting the importance of dentistry in the national health policy debate and offering ADA-backed legislation, bipartisan lawmakers are shaping a dental agenda in the 111th Congress.

In the early weeks of the new Congress, House and Senate members offered several bills supported by the American Dental Association:

• Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) with cosponsor Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) introduced the Dental Emergency Responder Act, H.R. 903, to allow dentists to respond to natural and man-made disasters;
• Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) introduced the ADA’s Meth Mouth Prevention and Recovery Act, S. 450, with Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Charles Schumer D-N.Y.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) as original cosponsors.
• Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) offered H.R. 870, a bill to allow Medicare Part B reimbursement for “medically necessary dental care.” Original cosponsors include Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.),

Association efforts include preparation of other legislation intended to increase access to dental care, especially for vulnerable children and adults with inadequate resources.

The ADA Council on Government Affairs, meeting Jan. 29-31 in the nation’s capital, helped shape a new version of ADA-backed legislation offered in the last session of Congress, the Essential Oral Health Care Act, for re-introduction in the current session. The draft legislation proposes increased federal matching funds for states choosing to fix their dental Medicaid programs and grants to support volunteer projects.

Dr. John S. Findley, ADA president, in a communication with Association members cited the “flurry of activity in Washington over the past month.” In related public statements, he noted the public and professional importance of these measures and thanked members of Congress for sponsoring them.

“Dentists receive a sound general medical background during their professional education,” Dr. Findley said in Rep. Stupak’s press release announcing the dental responder bill. “With proper preparatory training in disaster response, their knowledge and experience can make them valuable assets in the community response to man-made and natural disasters. Our nation’s capacity to respond to emergencies depends a great deal on mobilizing health professionals at a moment’s notice to triage and treat victims. This means utilizing all qualified health care personnel.”

Rep. Stupak added, “The dental community is equipped to help in times of crisis but our public health laws largely prevent them from pitching in. Our bill would change that.”

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus introduced ADA-supported meth mouth legislation. Dr. Findley said the Senate bill would enhance public and professional understanding of a condition associated with methamphetamine abuse and characterized by blackened, stained, rotting and crumbling teeth. “We applaud these senators for helping us to better understand causes of this health condition.”

During recent Senate debate on reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, lawmakers from both parties spoke about the importance of dentistry, many in favor of expanding or ensuring dental coverage for underserved children. An ADA summary of the SCHIP legislation, enacted Feb. 4 as Public Law 111-3, is posted on ADA.org.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law Feb. 17, will provide additional funding for dental research and training activities. Although dental specific funding levels were not immediately available, the Association will offer a summary of the stimulus legislation provisions relevant to dentistry.