There was positive news from recent committee mark-ups of FY 2019 appropriations legislation related to Labor-Health and Human Services- Education. The full Senate Appropriations Committee approved the legislation by a 30-1 vote on June 28, 2018. The full report, Senate Report 115-289, is available online at: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/senate-report/289/1 The legislation was approved by the full House Appropriations Committee on July 11 by a 30-22 vote. The full report is available online at: https://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/labor_report.pdf The AAPD is pleased with the funding level and report language provided for the Title VII Pediatric Dentistry program.
The Senate report language is as follows:
"Training in Oral Health Care. The Committee provides $40,673,000 for Training in Oral Health Care programs, which includes not less than $10,000,000 each for general and pediatric dentistry. Funds may be used to expand training in general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, public health dentistry, dental hygiene, and other oral health access programs. Funds may also be used to plan and operate training programs, as well as to provide financial assistance to students and residents.
The agency is directed to provide continuation funding for predoctoral and postdoctoral training grants initially awarded in fiscal year 2015, and for Section 748 Dental Faculty Loan Program grants initially awarded in fiscal year 2016, with preference for pediatric dentistry faculty supervising dental students or residents and providing clinical services in dental clinics located in dental schools, hospitals, and community-based affiliated sites.
Funds may be used to expand training in general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, public health dentistry, and dental hygiene. Funds may also be used to plan and operate training programs, as well as to provide financial assistance to students and residents.
The Committee continues long-standing bill language that prohibits funding for section 340G–1 of the PHS Act. "1
The House report language is as follows:
"Oral Health Training
The Committee recommends $38,673,000 for Oral Health Training programs, which is the same as the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $38,673,000 above the fiscal year 2019 budget request. These programs serve to increase the number of medical graduates from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds and to encourage students and residents to choose primary care fields and practice in underserved urban and rural areas.
Within the funds provided, the Committee includes not less than $12,000,000 for General Dentistry Programs and not less than $12,000,000 for Pediatric Dentistry programs. HRSA is directed to provide continuation funding for pre-doctoral and postdoctoral training grants initially awarded in fiscal year 2015.
Dental Faculty Loan Repayment
The Committee recommends $2,000,000 for the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment program, which is the same as the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $2,000,000 above the fiscal year 2019 budget request. This program seeks to increase the number of dental and dental hygiene faculty in the workforce by assisting dental and dental hygiene training programs to attract and retain dental and dental hygiene faculty through loan repayment. The Committee directs HRSA to provide continuation funding for grants initially awarded in fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018."
The AAPD thanks all of those advocates who attended the Public Policy Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. in March, 2018, which included advocacy for this funding. The AAPD also thanks ADA, ADEA, and AADR for their collaborative advocacy efforts on FY 2019 appropriations for important oral health programs.
Next steps: The legislation moves on to a House and Senate Conference.
For further information, please contact AAPD Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel C. Scott Litch at slitch@aapd.org.
1.This provision continues the Congressional prohibition on HRSA funding of non-dentist training experiments.