ADA unites coalition to support CMS chief dental officer role

Letter comes amid Health and Human Services reorganization

In response to recent reports of impending reorganization within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the ADA has mobilized a coalition of 27 national organizations to advocate for the preservation and strengthening of the chief dental officer position within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The March 24 letter — addressed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Acting CMS Administrator Stephanie Carlton — “highlights the need for dedicated leadership within CMS,” especially during times of administrative restructuring. The coalition comprises a wide array of stakeholders, including dental specialty associations, primary care providers, health access advocates and organizations focused on various patient populations.

“This role is essential to ensuring that oral health remains a priority in CMS policymaking and that the vital connection between oral health and overall health continues to be recognized across federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid,” the letter states.

The coalition warns that weakening or eliminating the chief dental officer role could impair CMS’ ability to integrate oral health into broader healthcare strategies, potentially leading to higher long-term healthcare costs, reduced workforce participation and poorer outcomes for individuals with unmet dental needs.

The letter also highlights the unique nature of dental care delivery and financing. Dental benefits differ substantially from traditional medical insurance in their structure, reimbursement models and provider networks. Policies developed primarily through the lens of the medical system may not reflect these differences, the letter notes, which is something the chief dental officer helps the agency navigate.

“The [chief dental officer] is essential in bridging this gap, ensuring that federal healthcare policies appropriately address these distinctions and align with the way dental care is delivered, financed, and accessed,” the letter reads. 

The coalition further emphasizes the importance of the chief dental officer in enhancing coordination across CMS programs and elevating oral health within broader public health priorities.

“Eliminating or diminishing the [chief dental officer] role would be a step backward in efforts to align healthcare policy with the needs of patients, providers, and the healthcare system as a whole,” the letter concludes. “We strongly urge CMS to reaffirm its commitment to oral health leadership by preserving and strengthening the [chief dental officer] position.”

This effort reflects the ADA’s commitment to advocating for oral health at the federal level and its ability to unite a wide range of stakeholders in pursuit of shared goals for improving national health outcomes, according to the Association.