AGD Sends Letter to Congressional Leadership Urging Passage of SUPPORT Act
On October 9, 2024, the Academy of General Dentistry, along with other organizations, sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressing support for the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4531 / S. 3393). This legislation includes a technical fix to ensure dentists trained by the Academy of General Dentistry can provide necessary substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
As the letter explains, the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2023 included a new requirement that prescribers of certain controlled substances complete a one-time, eight-hour training before registering or renewing their registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This legislation did not include the Academy of General Dentistry as an approved provider of this mandated continuing education. The letter urges Congress to include the critical language in the SUPPORT Act that remedies this situation in any potential legislation that moves before the end of 2024.
Impact on General Dentistry: We will continue to urge Congress to support passage of the SUPPORT Act to ensure that the Academy of General Dentistry can provide this important training for those dentists treating patients with SUD. The Academy of General Dentistry has tirelessly advocated for this legislative fix and will continue to do so.
As the letter explains, the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2023 included a new requirement that prescribers of certain controlled substances complete a one-time, eight-hour training before registering or renewing their registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This legislation did not include the Academy of General Dentistry as an approved provider of this mandated continuing education. The letter urges Congress to include the critical language in the SUPPORT Act that remedies this situation in any potential legislation that moves before the end of 2024.
Impact on General Dentistry: We will continue to urge Congress to support passage of the SUPPORT Act to ensure that the Academy of General Dentistry can provide this important training for those dentists treating patients with SUD. The Academy of General Dentistry has tirelessly advocated for this legislative fix and will continue to do so.