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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 84, June 3, 2025

Trump Administration Cracks Down on International Students
 
On May 27, the Trump administration instructed [ [link removed] ] U.S. embassies to temporarily halt the scheduling of student visa interviews. The directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is tied to plans for expanded social media screening of all foreign student and exchange visitor applicants.
 
The notice said, “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity.”
 
ADEA joined in a letter [ [link removed] ] with the American Council on Education and other associations representing higher education, including other health profession education associations, asking Rubio to ensure that the pause is brief and that the visa process be streamlined, while ensuring that students and other entering the United States are appropriately vetted.
 
This policy move by the administration comes in light of a recent U.S.
District Court decision in response to another crackdown on international students by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On May 22, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced [ [link removed] ] that the administration was revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students.
The next day—on May 23—U.S.
District Court Judge Allison Burroughs blocked [ [link removed] ] the move from the Trump administration by issuing a temporary restraining order.
On May 29, Burroughs extended [ [link removed] ] the order blocking the administration’s policy.
 
Meanwhile, on May 28, Rubio stated that the United States would begin “aggressively revoking” visas of Chinese international students, signaling a further tightening of policy on international students.

White House Submits President’s Budget Request for FY 2026
 
The Office of Management and Budget formally transmitted President Trump’s budget request on May 30.
As was foreshadowed in the “skinny budget”, the president’s budget request implements Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F.
Kennedy Jr.’s planned HHS reorganization by combining several existing agencies into a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
The budget document states that “AHA combines the work of the Office of Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and several centers and programs formerly in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This organization consists of the following components: Primary Care, Maternal and Child Health, Mental and Behavioral Health, Environmental Health, HIV/AIDS, Health Workforce, AHA Policy, Research, and Oversight, which includes the Surgeon General.
For 340B Office of Pharmacy Affairs, please see the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chapter.”
 
All oral health workforce programs are eliminated, as are those of medicine and nursing. The sole exceptions are those positions within the National Health Service Corps, but all grant programs to non-governmental entities are eliminated.
 
The request for the National Institutes of Health is $27.5 billion, a substantial reduction from the current funding level of $44.5 billion.
Moreover, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) is proposed to be combined into a new National Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research, along with the current National Eye Institute and National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
No additional information is available, at this writing, about the NIH budget or proposed reorganization; the NIH website where it would appear simply says “Pending.” ADEA AGR will report more when more information is available.
 
ADEA, along with our other oral health partners at the American Dental Association, American Association of Pediatric Dentists and the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research, wrote to the Appropriations Committees of Congress on March 26, requesting continuation of all our programs and maintaining NIDCR as a separate research institute.
Since then, we have been meeting with members of the Committee staff as well as the staff of individual Members of Congress who are members of those committees.
With the release of the budget document, we will intensify our advocacy efforts and likely call on you—our most effective oral health advocates—for assistance.

NY Senate Advances Bill to Allow Parent-applied Fluoride Varnish Under Supervision
 
On May 29, the New York State Senate passed Senate Bill S6759 [ [link removed] ] , which would amend the Education Law to allow a child’s parent or legal guardian to apply topical fluoride varnish under the direction and supervision of a licensed practitioner.
 
This legislation aims to expand access to preventive dental care—particularly for children enrolled in Medicaid—by permitting at-home fluoride varnish applications within a provider-directed care model. Licensed dental and medical professionals would assess the child’s needs, instruct the parent or guardian and provide oversight consistent with clinical standards and Medicaid protocol.
 
Fewer than one-third of New York’s Medicaid-enrolled children currently receive a preventive [ [link removed] ] dental visit annually. The bill seeks to reduce barriers, such as travel, missed school and time off work—issues disproportionately affecting low-income families and communities of color.
 
The bill now moves to the New York State Assembly where it is currently under consideration in the Higher Education Committee. If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately.

Oregon Governor Signs Law Requiring Dental Lab Registration
 
On May 28, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) signed into law HB 2594 [ [link removed] ] , a measure that establishes new requirements for dental laboratories operating in Oregon or doing business with Oregon-based dentists.
Under the law, dental laboratories must register annually with the Oregon Health Licensing Office (HLO) beginning July 1, 2026.
The bill also mandates that labs provide dentists with detailed material content disclosures for all completed work orders.
 
To register, dental labs must employ a licensed dentist, certified dental technician or a dental technician who has completed approved continuing education. Additional registration criteria will take effect in 2030. The law also grants HLO authority to enforce compliance through disciplinary actions, including penalties for non-registration.
 
The law will take effect 91 days after the legislative session adjourns and will become operative on July 1, 2026.

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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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