"Too many people across Maine and the country lack access to dental care," Senator Collins said. "The Collins-Feingold Dental Health Improvement Act will make oral health care services more accessible in our nation's rural and underserved communities, but it is crucial that funding be put in place to make this program work. Dental care is an integral part of overall health care," said Senator Collins.
Senator Collins introduced this legislation to address the serious shortage of dentists in rural communities. In Aroostook Country there is only one dentist for every 5,500 people.
The text of the letter is as follows:
Dear Mr. President:
The Health Care Safety Net Amendments of 2002 included the Collins-Feingold Dental Health Improvement Act, which is intended to improve access to oral health care by strengthening the dental workforce in our nation's rural and underserved communities. The legislation authorizes $50 million through FY 2006 for grants to States to help them develop innovative dental workforce development programs specific to their individual needs, and we are writing to request that you include at least $10 million for this program in your FY 2006 budget request.
While oral health in America has improved dramatically over the last 50 years, these improvements have not occurred evenly across all sectors of our population, particularly among low-income individuals and families. Too many Americans today lack access to dental care. While there are clinically proven techniques to prevent or delay the progression of dental health problems, an estimated 25 million Americans live in areas lacking adequate dental services. As a consequence, these effective treatment and prevention programs are not being implemented in many of our communities. Astoundingly, as many as eleven percent of our nation's rural population has never been to the dentist.
This situation is exacerbated by the fact that our dental workforce is graying. More than 20 percent of dentists nationwide will retire in the next ten years and the number of dental graduates by 2015 may not be enough to replace these retirees. As a consequence, many states are facing a serious shortage of dentists, particularly in rural areas.
The Dental Health Improvement Act authorized a new State grant program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services that is designed to improve access to oral health services in rural and underserved areas. States could use these grants to fund a wide variety of programs. For example, they could use the funds for loan forgiveness and repayment programs for dentists practicing in underserved areas. They could also use the grant funds to establish or expand community or school-based dental facilities or to set up mobile or portable dental clinics. To assist in their recruitment and retention efforts, States could use the funds for placement and support of dental students, residents, and advanced dentistry trainees. Or, they could use the grant funds for continuing dental education, through distance-based education, and practice support through teledentistry.
This program will help make oral health care services more accessible in our nation's rural and underserved communities, and we therefore urge you to include at least $10 million for this critically important program in your FY 2006 budget request.
Thank you for your consideration of our request, and we look forward to working with you.
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