The American Dental Association (ADA) said Tuesday it has thanked Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois for introducing legislation that would reauthorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Oral Health Program, which has gone a decade without congressional reauthorization.
The bill would extend the program and related activities through 2031.
Durbin introduced the Promoting Dental Health Act on March 5. His office said the measure would reauthorize funding for the CDC’s Oral Health Program for the next five years.
The program currently receives US$20.25 million annually for public health activities aimed at improving oral health. It funds initiatives in 15 states, but does not include Durbin’s home state of Illinois.
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Funding supports efforts to prevent cavities, gum disease and other serious oral conditions through dental education, data collection, school-based sealant programs for low-income children, workforce development and research into gaps in care.
The CDC says its oral health program also supports surveillance systems, school and community prevention programs, infection-control efforts and medical-dental integration.
“Smart public health strategies work hand in hand with dental professionals to prevent disease before it starts and expand access to care,” said ADA president Richard Rosato, who described oral health as “inseparable from overall health.”
“The ADA commends Senator Durbin for his leadership in keeping oral health a national priority and ensuring states have the resources they need to protect the health of their communities,” he added.
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Oral disease remains widespread in the U.S.
Durbin said the legislation is needed as oral disease remains widespread in the United States.
CDC data show half of children aged six to nine have had cavities, while one in five adults aged 20 to 64 has at least one untreated cavity. The agency also reports children in that age group from lower-income households are more than twice as likely to have untreated cavities as those from higher-income households, at 25 per cent versus 10 per cent.
Durbin’s office said nearly 70 million Americans do not have dental insurance — more than twice the number without medical insurance — while 64 million live in dental health professional shortage areas.
In Illinois, the senator’s office said the state has not received CDC oral health funding in two decades because the program has not been adequately funded to serve every state. About 2.8 million residents live in areas with a shortage of dental providers, while only 37 per cent of children covered by Medicaid have a dental visit in a given year.
Related: Study identifies ‘dental deserts’ in U.S., one of the first to map access to care nationally
Durbin also pointed to his role in securing US$1 billion for the National Health Service Corps through the American Rescue Plan, supporting scholarships and loan repayment for clinicians — including dentists — who commit to serving in high-need communities.
The bill has earned endorsements from the ADA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, according to Durbin’s office.