Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Action for Dental Health Act of 2018”.
Action for Dental Health Act of 2018
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health care for low-income and other underserved individuals by breaking down barriers to care, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Volunteer dental projects and action for dental health program
Section 317M of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–14) is amended—
by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (f) and (g), respectively;
by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection:
“(e) Action for dental health program
“(1) In general—The Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Service Administration, may award grants to or enter into contracts with eligible entities to collaborate with State or local public officials and other stakeholders to develop and implement initiatives to—
“(A) improve oral health education and dental disease prevention, including—
“(i) through community-wide prevention programs, such as programs that promote the use of dental sealants and fluoride varnish; and
“(ii) by increasing public awareness and education related to oral health and dental disease prevention; or
“(B) reduce barriers to the provision of dental services.
“(2) Eligible entity—In this subsection, the term eligible entity means an entity that is—
“(A) a State or local dental association;
“(B) a State oral health program;
“(C) a dental education, dental hygiene, or postdoctoral dental education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation; or
“(D) a community-based organization that—
“(i) partners with an academic institution;
“(ii) is exempt from tax under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
“(iii) partners with public and private stakeholders to facilitate the provision of dental services for underserved populations.”
in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking “such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005” and inserting “$18,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2022”.
Sec. 3 Grants for innovative programs
Section 340G of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256g) is amended—
in subsection (b)(5)—
in subparagraph (B), by striking “and” at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(D) the establishment of dental homes for children and adults, including for the aged, blind, and disabled populations;
“(E) the establishment of initiatives to reduce the use of emergency departments by individuals who seek dental services more appropriately delivered in a dental primary care setting; and
“(F) the provision of dental care to nursing home residents;”
in subsection (f), by striking “$25,000,000 for the 5-fiscal year period beginning with fiscal year 2008” and inserting “$13,903,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022”.