The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) published a statement supporting the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act, which was introduced to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, October 11. The AGD affirmed their support for Sens. Ben Ray Lujan, D-NM; Susan Collins, R-ME; and Ben Cardin, D-MD; who introduced the act.
The act directs the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop and test strategies capable of reaching vulnerable populations to provide oral disease prevention education through a five-year initiative.
The authorization would build on funding the HRSA has received during the past three years. HRSA's efforts will advise Congress on the outcomes of targeted strategies to help inform future efforts to improve oral health literacy across the U.S.
AGD is one of several organizations that have signed a letter supporting the senators. Representing approximately 40,000 dentists, the AGD believes the legislation is a potential opportunity to educate the public on the importance of oral health literacy and the role of dentistry in healthcare.
