The ADA sent a list of 15 critical oral health issues that it wants the new HRSA administrator to address.
The American Dental Association sent a letter to the Health Resources and Services Administration to prioritize several issues, including dental workforce shortages and oral health disparities.
The letter was sent to new HRSA administrator Carole Johnson and included several issues that the ADA wanted to improve with HRSA.
ADA president Cesar R. Sabates, DDS, and executive director Raymond Cohlmia, DDS, listed 15 issues that the organization felt needed to be prioritized with the new administration.
Recommendations included addressing workforce shortages in the dental industry through Title VII oral health training grants.
The ADA wants to expand efforts to increase the dental workforce in underserved communities through the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program.
The organization also wanted to address oral health disparities to improve oral health for all people. Suggested methods of improvement included:
- Research and data collection.
- Impacting social determinants of oral health.
- Reinforcing the role of oral health in overall health.
- Supporting cultural competency and diversity in dental treatment.
- Advancing disease prevention education.
The ADA also urged HRSA to install a chief dental officer to oversee and facilitate the listed issues.
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