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American Dental Education Association

Volume 3, No. 45, June 5, 2024
U.S. Senate Holds “Food is Medicine” Hearing

 

Last week, the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security held a hearing titled, “Feeding a Healthier America: Current Efforts and Potential Opportunities for Food is Medicine.” The purpose of the hearing was to highlight the importance of food as medicine, specifically noting food’s impact on positive health outcomes and lowering the costs of health care due to the preventive and therapeutic effects of food on patients.

 

The hearing on the integration of "food as medicine" into the health care system garnered positive feedback, with senators from both parties expressing support. Four witnesses provided testimony, including two directors of medically tailored food programs, a start-up entrepreneur/advisor and a medical doctor. Despite only one medical professional being present, the panel highlighted the effectiveness of such programs. Panelists Jean Terranova, Senior Director of Policy and Research at Community Servings, a Boston-based non-profit, and James Carter Williams, CEO and Managing Principal at iSelect Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in food, health and AgTech praised Medicaid waivers for supporting their initiatives. They urged continued congressional support, emphasizing the need for further research and integration of food prescriptions into health care.

 

Dariush Mozaffarin, M.D., Dr.P.H., the only medical professional on the panel, voiced concerns over Americans’ lack of access to nutritious food and the prevalence of dietary misinformation, urging policymakers to prioritize nutrition in public health initiatives. He highlighted a lack of nutrition education in medical training, advocating for its inclusion in curriculums. Mozaffarin’s testimony underscored the pivotal role of nutrition in addressing public health challenges and reducing health care spending, supported by statistical evidence presented to Congress.

 

NIH Fails to Provide Enough Diversity in Clinical Trials

 

A review by the federal health department's watchdog found that many clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) often fail to enroll underrepresented groups adequately. This is crucial because improving representation of women and racial and ethnic groups in medical research produces equitable benefits from clinical advances and prevent health disparities. As the largest funder of biomedical research globally, NIH has a significant role in this effort.

 

The review examined 30 NIH-funded trials and found that:

  • Ten trials did not plan to include at least one underrepresented racial group.
  • Over half of the trials did not adequately explain how they set their inclusive enrollment targets.
  • Most trials that completed enrollment failed to meet their targets for at least one underrepresented group.

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recommended that NIH ensure a clear rationale for the study population be provided before making funding decisions. While it might be reasonable to exclude certain sexes or racial and ethnic groups in some studies, explaining these decisions could enhance research credibility. NIH has agreed with the OIG’s recommendations and plans to explore ways to assist researchers in meeting their inclusive enrollment targets.

 

Maryland Governor Signs Multiple Bills Impacting Oral Health Providers

 

Before adjourning sine die on May 8, the Maryland General Assembly sent multiple bills to Gov. Wes Moore (D) that will have an impact on oral health providers. Gov. Moore signed four of those bills, which are summarized below:

  • / authorizes the state’s Board of Dental Examiners to waive education requirements for a limited dental license if an applicant is currently in a dental fellowship or they have completed a dental fellowship at any dental school recognized by the board. Current law only creates this exception for pediatric fellows at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. Individuals granted a limited license under this law will only be permitted to practice in designated settings that provide services to traditionally underserved populations.
  • / requires the Maryland Department of Health to study the feasibility of: 1) including among the coverage options offered by the Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program removable full and partial dentures; and 2) setting adequate reimbursement rates for providers on a per-patient basis for house calls and extended-care facility calls. Reimbursement rates would be required to be set at no less than 60% of the average commercial rate for all payors in the state. The report is required to be submitted to the Maryland Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and Government Operations Committee by Dec. 1, 2024.
  • requires each owner of a private dental office to designate a licensed dentist to be the supervising dentist for the private dental office. Under the new law, a supervising dentist would be required to complete the registration required by the state’s Board of Dental Examiners and be responsible for all infection control activities within the office.
  • provides just over $1.6 million to begin the construction and outfitting of an ambulatory surgery center at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. The bill also provides over $800,000 to complete construction dental ambulatory surgery center.
Louisiana Makes Changes to State Licensure Laws

 

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) recently signed two bills that will make changes to dental licensure laws in the state:

  • extends the time frame between when an applicant completes their licensing examination and when they may be granted licensure from three to five years. The bill also authorizes dentists with appropriate sedation permits to administer anesthesia without a personal permit. It requires that one at-large Louisiana State Board of Dentistry seat be qualified as a Board-eligible or Board-certified pediatric dentist.
  • requires the state licensure board to issue a license to a state resident who has held a license for at least one year that is in good standing and of similar scope in another jurisdiction. While similar laws have been passed in other states, Louisiana’s law contains a unique provision that allows the State Board of Dentistry to require an applicant for a dental license to have successfully completed an initial clinical licensure examination in a jurisdiction that included a hand skills assessment.

Similar laws have recently been signed or implemented in , , , , , , , and .

 

ADEA Advocacy in Action

This appears weekly in the ADEA Advocate to summarize and provide direct links to recent advocacy actions taken by ADEA. Please let us know what you think and how we might improve its usefulness.

 

Issues and Resources

  • ADEA on teledentistry
  • ADEA on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Dental Schools
  • ADEA policy regarding overprescription of antibiotics
  • For a full list of ADEA memos, briefs and letters click .

The is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.

 

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American Dental Education Association

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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA

ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Bridgette DeHart, J.D.

ADEA Director of Federal Relations and Advocacy

 

Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.

ADEA Senior Director of State Relations and Advocacy

 

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