Here are seven federal government and policy updates from the last 30 days:
1. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association said the newly enacted federal budget could lead states to remove dental benefits from Medicaid.
2. The Association for Dental Safety launched a new organization to provide clinical guidelines and best practices after the CDC’s oral health division was eliminated in a round of federal layoffs.
3. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted that removing fluoride from public water supplies could lead to more cavities.
4. The American Dental Association voiced its support for a bill that would restore need-based eligibility for students to receive Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans.
5. House Republicans have begun working on a follow-up budget bill that seeks deeper cuts to Medicaid and new spending reductions in Medicare.
6. A U.S. District Court judge in Texas approved a joint request to vacate a federal medical debt rule that would have excluded medical bills from credit reports.
7. The Supreme Court gave President Donald Trump the green light to move forward with his Feb. 11 executive order, which aims to reorganize and reduce staff across the federal government.
