June 7, 2024

Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Holds Hearing on Access to Dental Care

  • by AGD Washington Advocacy Representative
  • May 22, 2024
On May 16, 2024, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing entitled, Examining the Dental Care Crisis in America: How Can We Make Dental Care More Affordable and More Available? The hearing examined the root causes of barriers to accessing adequate dental care including workforce shortages and student loan debt, and potential policy solutions to fill these gaps. 

Senate HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and other Democratic members advocated for the inclusion of dental services as mandated coverage under Medicare and Medicaid, alongside efforts to expand both the range of facilities and the types of providers offering dental care. They also highlighted the potential benefits of utilizing dental therapists, particularly in addressing healthcare disparities in rural and underserved areas. Ranking Member, Bill Cassidy (R-LA), emphasized the importance of supporting small, independent dentists in delivering tailored services that meet the needs of their communities. Ranking Member Cassidy, highlighted legislative efforts such as the Action for Dental Act, which seeks to reauthorize grant programs aimed at strengthening states' oral health workforce and enhancing access to dental care within communities.

Dr. Gordon Isbell III, AGD member and past trustee, testified before the Committee on behalf of AGD, stressing the crucial need to prioritize patient well-being in dental care practices and underscored the vital role played by small independent practices in communities. Additionally, he highlighted the burdens of workforce shortages and student loan debt on the dental workforce and emphasized the need for adequate reimbursement.

Recording of Senate HELP Committee testimony available here.

Impact on General Dentistry: This hearing was the first Senate hearing addressing dental care in over a decade. AGD is proud to support Dr. Gordon Isbell III and his congressional testimony. This hearing signified congressional interest in addressing dental care in American, including general dentistry.