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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 51, July 17, 2024

House Panel Proposes Restructure of NIH
 
In June, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C) issued a paper entitled, “Reforming the National Institutes of Health: Framework for Discussion,” [ [link removed] ] that proposes reducing the number of Institutes and Centers in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 27 to 15. This reduction would eliminate the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and fold its work into the National Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research—a new organization—the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Eye Institute.
 
The Committee invited interested stakeholders to offer comments to the Committee by Aug. 16. ADEA has participated with its oral health colleagues and others in the broader biomedical research community to express its opposition to the elimination of NIDCR and to raise concerns about other aspects of the proposed new NIH structure.
 
ADEA plans to offer formal comments to the Committee.

House Appropriations LHHS Markup
 
On July 10, the full U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations reported the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Act, 2025. In the legislation, funding levels overall for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are reduced by $8.5 billion (7%) below current fiscal year (FY) levels and $11 billion (11%) for the Department of Education (ED). However, the results for oral health education are mixed.
 
The FY 2025 funding recommended for the Oral Health Training Program at HHS is $673.7 million, which is an increase of $1 million over the current fiscal year. Included in that $673.7 million is a set aside of $13.5 million each for General Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry residencies and $15 million for grants to states for oral health workforce programs. The funding for the Ryan White Part F Dental Reimbursement program is unchanged from the FY 2024 level of $13.6 million. (ADEA and its oral health colleagues had requested larger increases for both the Oral Health Training and Ryan White Part F Dental Reimbursement program.) However, the Committee recommended no FY 2025 funding for the Health Careers Opportunity Program or the Centers of Excellence that were funded at $16 million and at $28.4 million in FY 2024, respectively.
 
The biggest change occurs in the funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Subcommittee Chairman proposed—and the Subcommittee subsequently agreed to follow—the Committee on Energy and Commerce’s framework, prior to any stakeholder feedback or legislation authorizing such a change.
 
Before the full Appropriations Committee markup of the bill, ADEA issued a statement [ [link removed] ] opposing the elimination of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and urged the Appropriations Committee and the full House to reject Energy and Commerce’s proposal. ADEA objects to the process that the Appropriations Committee is following, which is acting before all stakeholders have had the chance to have their voices heard and before any congressional committee has held hearings or solicited differing opinions.
 
During the Appropriations Committee markup, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, D.M.D. (R-ID) rose to express opposition to eliminating NIDCR and folding its work into another institute. Dr. Simpson’s remarks can be seen here [ [link removed] ] .
 
Other members also objected to the process employed by the Appropriations Committee.
 
The next step is for the bill to be considered by the full House. From there, the House will have to work out inevitable differences with the U.S. Senate—probably after the November election.
 
The Senate has begun considering its appropriations bills in the Committee and will continue this week. It is not expected to take any action similar to the House provisions concerning NIH.

House Committees Mark Up Bills Impacting Colleges and Universities
 
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Ways and Means and the Education and Workforce committees passed four bills that could impact the dental education community.
 
The Ways and Means Committee passed the following three bills:
 • The University Accountability Act (H.R. 8914) [ [link removed] ] , introduced by U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), would levy new financial penalties on colleges found by a federal court to violate student’s civil rights. The bill also levies a financial penalty against schools that have a civil judgment entered against them by a federal court for violating a student’s civil rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Colleges and universities that meet the penalty criteria would be required to pay a fine of either 5% of the school’s aggregate administrative compensation, as reported on the school’s Form 990, or $100,000—whichever amount is greater. After three civil rights violations, the IRS would be automatically required to review the college or university’s tax-exempt status for revocation. The bill passed out of the Committee by a 24 to 13 party-line vote.
 • The Protecting American Students Act (H.R. 8913) [ [link removed] ] , introduced by U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA), impacts the endowment tax, with the goal of incentivizing private American colleges and universities to admit more American students. The bill amends the formula of the endowment tax calculation to match the definition used in the Higher Education Act to determine whether a student is eligible for federal financial assistance. This bill would not include students who are in the United States temporarily or on a student visa. The bill incentivizes universities that receive U.S. federal tax benefits to either enroll more American students or spend more of their endowment funds on those students to avoid being subject to the endowment tax. The bill passed the Committee by a 24 to 13 party-line vote.
 • The Education and Workforce Freedom Act (H.R. 8915) [ [link removed] ] , introduced by U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), expands allowable uses of tax-exempt distributions from 529 saving plans. The bill allows tax-exempt distributions from 529 plans to be used for additional educational expenses in connection with attendance at K-12 school, including homeschool. It allows tax-exempt distributions from 529 plans to pay for a skilled trade or technical credential or license. It also allows for 529 plans to be used to pay for expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials and licenses. This means oral health professionals could use tax-exempt distributions from 529 plans to cover continuing education costs. The bill passed the Committee by a 24 to 13 party-line vote.

Finally, the Education and Workforce Committee marked up H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act [ [link removed] ] , introduced by U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-NY). This bill would require the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to release the FAFSA form by Oct. 1 of each year. If ED does not meet the October deadline, it would have to notify Congress by Sept. 1 that it will not meet the deadline and then appear before the Committee within one month to explain why it missed the deadline and how it plans to address the issue. The bill passed out of the Committee by a bipartisan vote of 34 to 6.

Wisconsin Rule Change Expands Circumstances Permitting a Dental Hygienists to Apply Topical Anesthetics
 
The Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board recently passed a new regulation [ [link removed] ] that will allow dental hygienists to apply topical anesthetics without the presence of a dentist so as long as a dentist provides a written or oral prescription. Under the rule, a dentist may issue a prescription if they have seen the patient at least once during the 12-month period that immediately precedes the date the prescription was issued and the date the dental hygiene practice or remediable procedure is performed. The prescription must specify the practices and procedures that the dental hygienist may perform with the informed consent of the patient or, if applicable, the patient’s parent or legal guardian.
 
The rule will go into effect Aug. 1.

Florida Board Proposes Rule Change for Teaching Administration of Nitrous Oxide
 
The Florida Board of Dentistry has proposed a rule change [ [link removed] ] that will remove a requirement for instructors to hold a moderate sedation permit to be able to teach dental and dental hygiene students on the administration of nitrous oxide. If the rule change is adopted, instructors, in addition to having to be fully trained in administering nitrous oxide, will be required to have an unencumbered Florida dental license or be on the faculty of a dental school.
 
The notification was published on July 9. A hearing will be scheduled, if requested, within 21 days after the notification’s publication.

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

Key Federal Issues [ [link removed] ]

ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ]

Key State Issues [ [link removed] ]

The ADEA Advocate [ [link removed] ] 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.
 
©2024
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-289-7201
Website: www.adea.org [ [link removed] ]

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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
 
Contact Us:
[email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ]

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