ADHP Legislative Success
ADHA Language Included in Senate Appropriations Bill

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association is pleased to report a legislative accomplishment that should be instrumental in addressing the nation’s oral health access to care crisis, and the advancement of the Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP). This summer, the Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously approved H.R. 3010, legislation making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006. The Committee Report accompanying the bill, S. Rept. 109-103, includes the following ADHA-requested language:

The Committee is aware that dental disease disproportionately affects our nation's most vulnerable populations, including many in rural America. New ways of bringing oral health care to rural and underserved populations are needed. The Committee encourages HRSA to explore alternative methods of delivering preventive and restorative oral health services in rural America. Specifically, the Committee encourages HRSA to explore development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner who would be a graduate of an accredited dental hygiene program and complete an advanced educational curriculum, which prepares the dental hygienist to provide diagnostic, preventive, restorative and therapeutic services directly to the public in rural and underserved areas.

“The inclusion of this language in the appropriations bill is both a victory for ADHA and an important step in providing expanded access to oral health services to underserved communities,” said ADHA President Katie Dawson, RDH, BS. “ADHA officers and staff have spent much time in our nation’s capital discussing oral health care, the access to care crisis, and the ADHP. The ADHA contingent met with the offices of members of the United States House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and with executive branch officials. Seeing some positive progress from all of their hard work is truly gratifying,” Dawson said.

Dental hygienists from several states were also instrumental in the effort. The Hawaii Dental Hygienists’ Association in particular worked tirelessly with Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies to request inclusion of the language. Though it was Senator Inouye's request that the language be included, dental hygienists in other states provided critical grassroots work including contingents from Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Wisconsin.

“This is a great first-step for ADHA,” said Dawson. “Now we need to develop a groundswell of support from the grassroots dental hygienists to express support for the ADHP report language. While report language does not carry the weight of law, it is important encouragement to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to explore development of an advanced dental hygiene practitioner,” Dawson said.

Please check the Governmental Affairs On Capitol Hill page for information on how to get involved in the legislative efforts.