A coalition of dental and health organizations has asked that the CDC Division of Oral Health to have a 2026 budget of no less than $20.25 million, according to a June 13 news release from the American Dental Association.
Here are six things to know:
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Oral Health, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration Oral Health Training program and the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research joined the ADA in submitting testimony in support of federal programs to expand access to oral and dental services.
- In the testimony, the organizations urged a Senate subcommittee to preserve investments in oral healthcare.
- There are concerns from the coalition about the proposed termination of the CDC Division of Oral Health staff and elimination of the division’s budget.
- The coalition also requested that the chief dental officer position be retained within the CMS administrator’s office.
- In addition, the groups pushed for the subcommittee to provide at least $520 million National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research and the allocation of $51.3 billion to the National Institutes of Health’s base budget.
- The statement was also signed by the American Dental Education Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research.
Read the full testimony here.
