One Hundred Fifteenth Congress of the United States of America
At the Second Session
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen
H. R. 2422
AN ACT
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.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Action for Dental Health Act of 2018.
Oral health education
In general
Section 399LL of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
in the subsection heading, by inserting of oral health education campaign
after Establishment
; and
by striking focused on oral healthcare prevention and education
and inserting focused on oral health education
;
in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking campaign
and inserting campaign under subsection (a)
; and
by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
Action for dental health program
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 Services Administration, may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to collaborate with State or local public health officials, tribal health officials, oral health professional organizations, and others, as appropriate, to develop and implement initiatives to improve oral health, including activities to prevent dental disease and reduce barriers to the provision of dental services, including—
through community-wide dental disease prevention programs; and
by increasing public awareness and education related to oral health and dental disease prevention.
Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this subsection, an entity shall be—
a dental association;
a State or tribal health department or State or tribal oral health program;
an accredited dental education, dental hygiene, or postdoctoral dental education program; or
a non-profit community-based organization that partners with public and private non-profit entities, such as an academic institution, to facilitate the provision of dental services to underserved populations.
;
Technical amendment
Section 399LL–1(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k–1(d)) is amended—
by striking shall
and inserting shall, as practicable and appropriate,
before utilize
; and
by striking public education campaign
and inserting oral health education campaign and action for dental health program
.
Report to Congress
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report on the outcomes and effectiveness of programs and activities conducted under sections 399LL and 399LL–1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k and 280k–1).
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:
the establishment or development of models for the provision of dental services to children and adults, such as dental homes, including for the elderly, blind, individuals with disabilities, and individuals living in long-term care facilities; and
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
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 2019 through 2023
.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.