Issues
Health Care Dental Care
In 2002, I joined Senator Susan Collins
(R-ME) in introducing and passing the Dental Health Improvement
Act. Our bill, which is now law, provides grants to states
to help provide dental health services to the underserved
in both urban and rural areas. Our legislation encourages
dental education, recruitment and retention, loan forgiveness
for dental professionals, and community prevention. Additionally,
the legislation makes some needed improvements to the National
Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and loan
forgiveness programs to dental students who commit to practicing
in understaffed areas. I am pleased that the grant program
we set up was funded at $2 million in fiscal year 2006.
I have also joined several of my colleagues in urging the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to expand access
to dental care for low-income children, chiefly by increasing
dentist participation in the Medicaid program.
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