The bill aims to curb the increase in oral diseases and related conditions by providing prevention education as part of a five-year oral health literacy campaign. It directs the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop a strategy to reach underserved communities, according to a Feb. 14 news release.
The legislators backing the bill include U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, D-Md; Ray Luján, D-N.M.; and Susan Collins, R-Maine; and U.S. Representatives Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif.; and Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla. The bill is also endorsed by several dental organizations, including the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry.