Here are 10 federal government and policy updates for dentists to know from the last month:
1. The CDC updated its “Infection Control in Healthcare Personnel” guidance, adding a new section that consolidates how healthcare workers should be managed when they’re exposed to or sick with respiratory viruses.
2. The HHS Department announced $51 million in awards to 28 HRSA-funded health centers to expand dental care for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
3. The FDA published a consumer webpage with updated guidance on clear aligners.
4. Nine in 10 voters support Medicare dental benefits, according to a national poll conducted by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
5. The American Dental Association warned Congress of dental coverage risks getting overlooked as lawmakers consider broader health insurance reforms, calling for state oversight of self-funded dental plans, reforms to prior authorization practices and benefit transparency.
6. Dental advocates have helped pass 400 dental insurance reform laws across the country over the last few years, according to the American Dental Association.
7. H.R. 1521, or the Dental and Optometric Care Access Act, would limit insurers’ ability to set fees for dental services they do not cover.
8. CMS can now exclude individual providers and entities from participating in federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.
9. A top CMS official wants provider suspensions to quadruple in the next six months as part of a broader anti-fraud push that includes new exclusion authority and AI tools.
10. CMS estimates that 77% of fiscal year 2025 Medicaid improper payments resulted from insufficient documentation rather than fraud or abuse, according to an Oct. 7 report from the Congressional Research Service.
