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National LegislationAGD continuously monitors national legislation so that the organization can communicate the interest of the general dentist to interested parties. In addition, the organization maintains policies to communicate the AGD position when speaking to national legislators on the general dentists’ behalf. AGD encourages its members to advocate on behalf of the profession as well. Review the current list of the AGD dental care and legislative policies to use in your communications with local lawmakers. In addition, the AGD publishes updates on national legislation that may affect general dentists. Click on the links below to learn more about national legislation that the AGD is monitoring or view earlier legislative updates from the AGD by click on the archive link on the right.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently awarded contracts worth $2.4 million to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) for the purpose of conducting a wide-ranging study of oral health care in the United States and suggesting ways it could be improved.
Working with the NAS, the Institute of Medicine (IOM)’s Board on Children, Youth and Families and the Board on Health Care Services will establish two 15-member committees of experts in oral health and other health-related services to conduct two separate studies.
The first study, Oral Health Access to Services, will assess the current U.S. oral health system of care; explore its strengths, weaknesses, and future challenges; describe a desired vision for the oral health care system; and recommend strategies to achieve that vision. The project will examine issues that affect underserved populations that are most vulnerable to oral disease and the role of the safety net providers—both public and private—who serve them, with a specific focus on the provision of oral health care services to women and children.
In the second study, the IOM proposes appointing an ad hoc consensus committee to explore ways to increase public awareness of the importance of good oral health and its relationship to good physical health; to promote prevention and improve oral health literacy to health providers and the public; and to recommend ways for improving access to oral health care. The committee will recommend actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can take to further these objectives and establish that oral health is part of overall health.
Impact on general dentists: There is a level of prestige associated with contributing to an IOM report and the role the IOM plays in policymaking. While the IOM is apolitical, its studies typically carry a great deal of weight with policymakers. Clearly, HRSA is contracting with the IOM in order to help inform its future policies relative to oral health care. The AGD has nominated Paula Jones, DDS, FAGD and Vincent Mayher, DMD, MAGD, two past AGD presidents, to serve on either of these studies.
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