{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr539-114/featured_action-for-dental-health-act-of-2015-1454546924.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr539-114/featured_large_action-for-dental-health-act-of-2015-1454546924.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr539-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-01-27","title_override":"Using Grants to Provide Dental Care for Under-served Populations","summary_override":"This bill would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to, or contract with entities that would obtain portable or mobile dental equipment, or that cover the operational costs of free dental services to underserved populations.

Eligible entities would include a state or local dental association, a state oral health program, an education program that provides dental or dental hygiene training, or postdoctoral dental education, and a community-based organization that partners with an academic institution. These entities must be tax-exempt, and offer free dental services to under-served populations.

The Secretary could also provide grants for state, county or local public officials to improve oral health education, dental disease prevention, and make the dental health care delivery system more efficient.

","official_title":"To amend part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health care for lower income individuals by breaking down barriers to care, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Action for Dental Health Act of 2015","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Action for Dental Health Act 2015\n\nThis bill amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize oral health promotion and disease prevention programs through FY2020.\n\nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may award grants or enter into contracts to obtain portable or mobile dental equipment and pay operational costs for the provision of free dental services to underserved populations.\n\nThe CDC may also award grants or enter into contracts to collaborate with state, county, or local public officials and other stakeholders to develop and implement initiatives to: (1) improve oral health education and dental disease prevention; (2) make the health care delivery system providing dental services more accessible and efficient through the development and expansion of outreach programs that facilitate the establishment of dental homes; (3) reduce geographic, language, cultural, and similar barriers in the provision of dental services; (4) reduce the use of emergency departments ...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"People in under-served populations that need dental care, providers of dental care, state and local agencies, HHS, the Secretary of HHS.","argument_for":"Unlike some federal grants that have vague purposes and rarely benefit average people, these grants would use existing funding to provide free dental services to under-served populations like the elderly and those who can’t afford to see a dentist.","argument_against":"The federal government shouldn’t be involved in financing or organizing free dental services. 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Using Grants to Provide Dental Care for Under-served Populations