Association sends testimony to Senate subcommittee

The ADA and three other organizations submitted a testimony June 13 in support of federal programs aimed at expanding access to oral health care. These include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Oral Health, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration Oral Health Training program, and the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research. 

The statement for the record — which was also signed by the American Dental Education Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research — encouraged the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee to preserve investments in oral health care as it considers funding for fiscal year 2026. 

“We commend the Subcommittee for its steadfast commitment to advancing oral health; however, challenges persist and any reduction in funding would undermine our nation’s ability to defend against chronic disease and lead in the next generation of treatments for oral diseases and their broader systemic health implications,” the testimony said. 

In the letter, the coalition expressed concern about the administration’s termination of CDC Division of Oral Health staff and proposals in the 2026 fiscal year budget to eliminate the division’s mission and budget. They requested that the 2026 budget for the Division of Oral Health be maintained at no less than $20.25 million “to ensure the continuation of its mission and core functions.”

The coalition also requested that the chief dental officer position be retained within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid administrator’s office “and continue guiding oral health efforts across Medicare, Medicaid, [the Children’s Health Insurance Program] and the state exchange marketplace.”

The Health Resources and Services Administration oral health training program and chief dental officer position are essential to oral health care access, according to the letter. The Title VII general practice and pediatric dental programs are essential to expanding and distributing the dental workforce, while the chief dental officer plays a central role in guiding oral health programs and initiatives across the agency, the group said. 

“We therefore urge the subcommittee to reject the proposed elimination of the Title VII oral health training cluster and to fund at no less than $43,673,000 for [fiscal year] 2026 to preserve and strengthen the nation’s oral health workforce,” they said.

Additionally, the coalition urged the subcommittee to provide at least $520.16 million for the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research “as a separate and unique institute,” amid proposals to consolidate the National Institutes of Health’s 27 institutes and centers. It also encouraged allocating $51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health’s base budget overall. 

“Oral health is a critical component of overall health and well-being, and a healthy oral health system contributes significantly to the national economy — generating an estimated $478 billion annually,” the coalition concluded. “We urge the Subcommittee to reject proposed funding cuts and instead prioritize strategic investments that sustain and advance the nation’s oral health infrastructure.”