ADA applauds Senate HELP Committee action on Title VII workforce reauthorization

Association notes oral health training programs, faculty loan repayment as key to expanding access to care 

The ADA is voicing its support for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee's advancement of legislation to reauthorize federal health professions workforce programs, saying the measure would help strengthen the dental workforce and expand access to care in underserved communities. 

In a July 23 letter, the ADA thanked the committee for advancing S. 4110, the EMPOWER for Health Act, which would reauthorize the Health Resources and Services Administration's Title VII health professions workforce programs, including oral health training programs. 

“We appreciate your bipartisan leadership in reauthorizing the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Title VII health professions workforce programs, including oral health training programs that expand access to dental care, particularly in rural and underserved communities,” reads the letter, signed by ADA President Richard Rosato, D.M.D., and Executive Director Nader Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D. 

Drs. Rosato and Nadershahi said workforce shortages continue to limit access to dental care in many parts of the country and that continued federal investment in training programs is important for addressing those challenges. 

“Millions of Americans, particularly in rural and low-income communities, face persistent barriers to dental care due to workforce shortages,” they wrote. "Title VII investments help address this gap by strengthening the pipeline of dental professionals and supporting training programs that serve high-need areas.” 

They added that continued investment in the dental workforce is “essential” for supporting an aging population, improving overall health and reducing preventable emergency room visits due to dental conditions.  

The letter highlighted the Title VII Primary Care Dental Training Cluster, which supports predoctoral and postdoctoral dental education, including residency programs in general dentistry, pediatric dentistry and public health dentistry, as well as dental hygiene training. These programs help prepare oral health professionals to practice in high-need communities and strengthen the pipeline of providers serving rural and underserved populations, according to the letter.  

Drs. Rosato and Nadershahi also emphasized the importance of the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program, which works to help academic institutions recruit and retain dental educators while supporting the training of future dentists. 

“The Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program plays a vital role in addressing the dental faculty shortage by helping academic institutions recruit and retain qualified educators, especially in pediatric dentistry and community-based clinical settings,” Drs. Rosato and Nadershahi wrote.   

They said faculty shortages can limit the number of new dentists entering the workforce and reduce access to care in safety-net settings where faculty members and students provide clinical services.  

“We strongly support continued investment in the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program, including support for pediatric dental faculty who supervise dental students and residents and provide clinical services in dental-school, hospital and community-based settings,” the letter reads.  

Drs. Rosato and Nadershahi concluded that the workforce programs included in the legislation remain essential to improving access to oral health care and strengthening communities.  

“We appreciate your leadership in advancing S. 4110 and stand ready to work with you to ensure that all Americans, regardless of where they live, can access the oral health care they need,” they said.