COLLINS, FEINGOLD HAIL SENATE PASSAGE OF DENTAL
HEALTH CARE FUNDING INCREASE
Collins/Feingold Amendment to Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill Funds
Their Initiative to Expand Dental Care for Underserved Areas
October 24, 2007
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Russ
Feingold (D-WI) are hailing Senate passage of their effort to strengthen
dental care for people living in underserved areas. The Collins-Feingold
amendment to the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations
bill will boost funding for the Dental Health Improvement Act, which
they got signed into law in 2002. The Act provides grants to states
to help them develop innovative programs tailored to the needs of the
state and focuses on expanding dental care to people living in urban
and rural areas with little access to dental care. The Collins-Feingold
amendment doubles funding for the program to $4 million.
“Dental care is an integral part of overall health care, and
this funding will help improve access to oral health care in states
like Maine that are currently underserved,” said Senator Collins.
“In Maine, there is one general practice dentist for every 2,300
people in the Portland area. The numbers drop off dramatically, however,
in other parts of our state. In Aroostook County, for example, there
is only one dentist for every 5,500 people. And, of the practicing dentists
in Aroostook County, only a few are taking on any new cases.”
“Right now in Wisconsin and around the country, thousands of
people are either waiting in long lines to receive dental care or not
visiting a dentist at all because they’re too far away,”
Feingold said. “With all the advancements in dentistry, it is
inexcusable that so many Americans aren’t getting the dental care
they need. I’m working to make sure Congress provides funding
to help people in underserved communities get access to dental care.”
With the additional funding, the Dental Health Improvement Act will
increase access to dental care in underserved communities by increasing
the number of dentists nationwide. By helping with loan forgiveness
and repayment programs for dental professionals, expanding community-based
dental facilities, and enhancing recruitment and retention efforts,
we can attract more people to the dental care profession and ensure
dental services are accessible to more people. An estimated 25 million
Americans live in areas lacking adequate dental services and as many
as nine percent of our nation’s rural population has never been
to a dentist. For at least the next 10 years, retiring dentists are
projected to outnumber new ones.
|
