A group of legislators recently introduced the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2023 to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
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.