AGD Capitol Connections

On March 27, 2025, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a law to outlaw the addition of fluoride to public drinking water in the state. The legislation will take effect on May 7, 2025. Utah is the first state to enact such legislation, in a time when fluoride has come under increased criticism.

On March 27, 2025, Representatives Mark Green (R-TN), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Greg Murphy (R-NC) re-introduced H.R. 2433, the Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025.

On February 27, 2025, Representatives Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) re-introduced H.R. 1758, the Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act. On March 14, 2025, Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced S. 1080, the companion bill in the Senate.

On March 27, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it would be undergoing a significant workforce reduction alongside a number of additional administrative and organizational changes.

On April 22nd Maine Governor Janet Mills signed legislation creating the Interstate Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact. The Compact became active when the seventh state enacted the Compact language. Maine joined Washington, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Virginia and Kansas as initial Compact states.

On April 7, 2024, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released a discussion draft of federal privacy legislation, entitled the American Privacy Rights Act.

On April 8-9, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted the 2024 Quality Conference. The conference theme was "Resilient and Ready Together: Creating an Optimal Environment for Quality Healthcare for Individuals, Families, and Communities."

On April 2, 2024, AGD and other oral health advocacy organizations sent a letter to House Energy & Commerce and House Ways & Means Committee leadership in support of H.R.7814, the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Assistance Act

On March 20, 2024, the Senate passed S.Res.567, a bipartisan resolution to designate March 18, 2024, as the inaugural "Health Workforce Well-Being Day of Awareness."

The AGD Advocacy Fund supports national and constituent advocacy efforts by providing resources to tackle new matters, such as legislation or legal action affecting the practice of general dentistry.

On March 29, 2023, the Senate Committee on Finance’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled, An Oral Health Crisis: Identifying and Addressing Health Disparities.

On March 29, the Senate passed HJ Res 7, which would terminate the President’s National Emergencies Act (NEA) declaration regarding the COVID-19 national emergency.

On February 27, 2023, Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) reintroduced the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act or the REDI Act. This bill would allow borrowers in medical or dental internships or residency programs to defer student loan payments, interest-free, until the completion of their programs.

On February 14, 2023, Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Ray Luján (D-NM) and Susan Collins (R-ME), along with Representatives Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), reintroduced the bipartisan Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2023.

The White House announced that a pause on federal student loan repayments will be extended through August 31, 2022.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concluded its regulatory review of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that would ban menthol and other characterizing flavors in cigarettes and cigars.

The AGD led an Organized Dentistry Coalition (ODC) letter urging the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to take up H.R.4555, the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act.

The AGD joined Tobacco Free Kids and other health and medical organizations in a letter urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fulfill its commitment to issue rules prohibiting menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and all characterizing flavors in cigars.

Last week, the House passed H.R.1916, the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA), by a 310-110 vote. ELSA would require all private group and individual health insurance plans to cover medically necessary services, including dental treatment, for patients with congenital anomalies.

H.R.4555, the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act, overwhelmingly passed the House by a 369-58 vote last year, but the Senate has yet to take up this important public health legislation.