Several dental organizations joined a coalition of groups urging Congress to back legislation aimed at boosting the healthcare workforce.
Five notes:
1. The coalition, which includes 67 organizations, sent a letter to lawmakers Aug. 19 advocating for legislation that would reauthorize the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs.
2. The legislation would extend the programs through fiscal year 2030.
3. These programs provide funding and training to healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, dentists, mental health specialists, public health practitioners and social workers, according to an Aug. 25 news release.
4. The coalition noted that graduates of Title VII and VIII programs are more likely to serve in underserved areas, and that the programs help to expand access to training.
5. The dental groups part of the coalition are the American Dental Association; the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research; and the American Dental Education Association.
