ADA Legislative Activity Supports Strong Dental Workforce at National Level
I
n addition to ADA supporting Dental and Dental Hygienist compacts (as noted on
page 15), multiple other workforce actions are occurring on the national legislative front.
Specifically, the ADA is asking dentists to contact their senators to urge support for the oral health care provisions included in the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act, a bill that would increase funding for various health workforce programs, including many for oral health.
Members can learn more and take action on this legislative effort and others at
ada.org/advocacy/legislative-action-center.
The ADA has expressed support for provisions in the bill that would extend the State Oral Health Workforce Improvement Grant Program, the Oral Health Training Programs, the Community Health Center Fund, the National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.
• National Health Service Corps funding would attract oral health care providers to underserved communities through loan repayment and scholarship programs.
• Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program provides resources for new and expanded dental residency programs. THCGME programs train residents to serve vulnerable populations in community-based settings such as FQHCs, Rural Health Clinics and tribal health centers.
This past June, the ADA urged members to ask senators to support reauthorizing the Action for Dental Health workforce grants; the Restoring America’s Health Care Workforce and Readiness Act; allowing dental professional student loan borrowers to modify the interest on student loans; and the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act.
• Action for Dental Health provides grants to states to expand access to oral health care through workforce programs.
• Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, will provide fair and reasonable ways to help offset the unprecedented levels of educational debt for dental and medical resi- dents, including: − Defers payments on federal student loans until after a medical or dental residency is completed.
− Suspends the accrual of federal student loan interest during the residency period.
This bill will not eliminate the debt hardship for dental and medical residents, but it will help offset the unprecedented financial challenges these early career dentists face at graduation.
The new Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act would ensure that many of these programs are able to continue. Learn more and take action at
ada.org/advocacy/legislative-action-center.
ISSUE 3 | FALL 2023 | focus 17
MDA 2023 STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP
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