The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Action for Dental Health Act by a vote of 391 to 32.
The bill, HR 3843, reauthorizes funding to the Health Resources and Services Administration's oral health workforce grant program, which has been in place since 2018, according to a March 7 news release from the American Dental Association.
Rep. Michael Simpson, DMD, said that the bill has been effective in improving dental care, boosting the dental safety net and bringing disease prevention and education to underserved populations.
The bill also aims to combat workforce shortages, particularly staffing of dental hygienists and dental assistants, the release said.