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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 67, January 29, 2025

Trump Administration Orders “Immediate Pause” on HHS External Communications
 
The Trump administration has directed federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, to temporarily halt all external communications, such as health advisories, scientific reports and website updates. Various scientific meetings were cancelled as well. According to The New York Times [ [link removed] ] , the instructions, issued the day after the new administration took office, are broad in scope and will remain in effect until Feb. 1 , 2025. Though leaked to various news outlets, the instructions, which were released in the form of a memo to staff, have not been publicly released.
 
This pause encompasses key public health resources, including the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), health advisories for clinicians and updates on health statistics, such as drug overdose trends. Reports scheduled for publication, including those on the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak, are now delayed. It remains unclear whether the freeze applies to time-sensitive communications, such as foodborne disease alerts or drug approvals, leaving health professionals and organizations uncertain about receiving timely updates.
 
The directive was signed by Dorothy Fink, M.D., Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Given that federal health agencies play a pivotal role in providing critical information to health care providers and the public, this communication halt has raised concerns about the timely dissemination of life-saving information.

Trump Signs Executive Order Ending DEI Practices in the Federal Government
 
President Trump signed an Executive Order dismantling all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the federal government. The order directs the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management to work with federal agencies to terminate all federal DEI programs within 60 days, including environmental justice programs, equity action plans, employment practices tied to DEI and DEI elements embedded in union contracts. The administration claims this move is intended to create “equal treatment” by eliminating DEI efforts in federal operations.
 
Of particular note is the directive to terminate all equity-related grants. Additionally, all DEI or diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) performance or training requirements for employees, contractors or grantees will also be ended.
 
The Executive Order will also rescind DEI policies implemented during the Biden administration. While the order focuses solely on the federal government, a Trump official suggested that additional actions targeting DEI practices in private companies may follow in the near future.
 
The decision to terminate all DEI or DEI-related programs is significant because the federal government employs approximately three million workers, making it the largest employer in the country. As a result, federal policies often influence workplace norms nationwide.

Trump Issues Executive Order Regarding Gender Identity
 
On his first day back in office, President Trump signed a comprehensive Executive Order recognizing only two sexes—male and female—and instructing federal agencies to cease promoting the concept of gender transition [ [link removed] ] . The order emphasized restoring “biological truth to the federal government” and defined male and female based on reproductive function rather than physical or chromosomal traits. It further directed agencies to replace the term “gender” with “sex” in policies, statements and communications, aligning government practices with these definitions.
 
Of particular interest to the dental education community is a provision that states, “Federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology. Each agency shall assess grant conditions and grantee preferences and ensure grant funds do not promote gender ideology.”
 
The order also sought to restrict transgender individuals from self-identifying their gender on government documents like visas and passports, undoing changes introduced, in 2021, that allowed for an “unspecified” gender marker. Additionally, the order mandated the incoming U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to prevent transgender individuals from accessing federally funded, single-sex facilities that align with their gender identity, including prisons, shelters and migrant housing. It also halted the use of federal funds for gender-affirming care for incarcerated individuals—a practice previously upheld in some court cases.
 
Trump’s order tasked the Attorney General with reviewing the implications of the Supreme Court’s 2020 Bostock v. Clayton County decision, which protects individuals from workplace discrimination based on gender identity or sexuality, to determine how it may apply to other federal statutes.
 
Finally, the order barred federal workplaces and facilities from requiring the use of pronouns that match a transgender individual’s gender identity, arguing that such mandates infringe on First Amendment rights.

Trump Withdraws the United States from the World Health Organization
 
President Trump issued an Executive Order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) [ [link removed] ] , citing concerns over its performance and independence. The United States, as the WHO’s top donor, contributed approximately $130 million annually to support global health initiatives, including pandemic preparedness, HIV, tuberculosis and childhood vaccination programs. Trump's decision marked a significant shift in U.S. involvement in global health efforts.
 
Trump initiated the withdrawal process during his first term, accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and lacking independence from China. However, this move was short-lived, as then-President Biden reversed the decision on his first day in office, signaling renewed United States’ commitment to the organization and global health collaboration.
 
In a recent development, an Executive Order revisited the rationale behind the 2020 withdrawal notice. The document criticized the WHO’s response to global health crises, failure to implement necessary reforms and susceptibility to political influence from member states. These issues were highlighted as key factors in the United States’ dissatisfaction with the organization.
 
The order also pointed out concerns regarding the financial burden placed on the United States by the WHO. It argued that the United States was subjected to disproportionately high payments compared to other member nations, particularly China, which contributes less despite having a larger population. This disparity was framed as an additional reason for questioning the fairness and efficiency of the WHO’s funding structure.

Georgia Revises Medicaid Program to Ease Access for Parents of Young Children
 
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) announced a revision [ [link removed] ] to Georgia’s Pathways to Coverage program, removing the work requirement for parents and legal guardians of children under age six. Previously, participants needed to complete 80 hours of work, job training, education or community service monthly to maintain coverage. While the total number of eligible participants will remain unchanged, the state estimates tens of thousands of parents could benefit from the adjustment. The state anticipates the change will help tens of thousands of parents and will cost approximately $207,000 in IT updates, pending federal approval.
 
The modification reflects ongoing national debates about Medicaid work requirements. The Trump administration previously supported such mandates with Russell T. Vought, director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) nominee, affirming this stance [ [link removed] ] during his OMB confirmation hearing. While the Biden administration largely reversed these policies, several states [ [link removed]'s%20first%20term. ] , including Arkansas [ [link removed] ] , Ohio [ [link removed] ] , South Carolina [ [link removed] ] and South Dakota [ [link removed] ] , are exploring federal waivers to reinstate work requirements. Georgia's upcoming program renewal could signal emerging trends in Medicaid access policies.

Save the Date: ADEA/AADOCR/Friends of NIDCR Advocacy Day 2025!
 
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, April 3, 2025, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) and the Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (FNIDCR) will come together for Advocacy Day 2025 in Washington, D.C.
 
This in-person event on Capitol Hill will include:
 • A legislative briefing and advocacy training featuring expert speakers.
 • Opportunities to meet with targeted congressional offices, including the chance to connect with your own elected officials.

Advocacy Day is your chance to help shape the future of dental, oral and craniofacial research and education. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard!
 
Stay tuned for more details!

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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.
 
©2025
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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