American Dental Education Association backs Medicare dental expansion

The American Dental Education Association supports expanding dental benefits under Medicare, it said Oct. 12.

Congress is considering a $3.5 billion reconciliation bill that would expand vision, hearing and dental benefits under Medicare. The American Dental Association has opposed the bill and instead proposed an alternative program, while the National Dental Association backed expanded Medicare benefits in a Sept. 29 statement.

The dental education association said elderly people often have difficulties accessing oral healthcare, and cited a 2020 federal report that found dental care was most frequently skipped by Americans due to inability to pay.

"Congress has the historic and unprecedented opportunity to recognize that oral health is essential to whole health and warrants creating such a benefit in Medicare," the dental education group said in its statement.

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