3 things you missed in government this week

“Three Things You Missed in Government This Week” is designed to offer a way to stay informed on the topics of the week. These updates are meant to offer brief details on legislative or regulatory topics to keep dentists engaged and up to date. To explore the ADA’s latest advocacy efforts, more information is available at ADA.org/Advocacy.  

1.    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s entire Division of Oral Health was gutted April 1, amid the Trump administration’s efforts to majorly restructure federal health agencies. In a statement, the ADA urged President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately reverse the cuts.  
  
2.    Dental assistants now have a pathway to become oral preventive assistants in Arizona after Gov. Katie Hobbs signed Senate Bill 1124 into law. Oral preventive assistants, who are also referred to as scaling assistants, are expanded function dental assistants who provide preventive dental care services to patients under direct supervision of a dentist or dental hygienist.  

3.    The ADA is pushing for the exemption of medical and dental supplies, equipment and devices from tariffs due to concerns about rising costs and supply chain disruptions. In an April 1 coalition letter spearheaded by the Health Industry Distributors Association, the ADA and nine other organizations emphasized the “lifesaving, life-sustaining” effect of these products on Americans.