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American Dental Education Association

Volume 3, No. 95, September 16, 2025

U.S. Department of Education Ends Discretionary Funding for Minority-serving Institutions (MSI) Grant Programs

 

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has plans to end discretionary grant funding for several programs supporting Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs), citing concerns that the eligibility requirement—based on racial or ethnic enrollment thresholds—violates constitutional protections. The affected grants include funding for institutions serving large populations of Hispanic, Black, Asian American, Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students, excluding those officially designated as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or tribal colleges. Programs like the Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) and Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI) were specifically highlighted for requiring racial enrollment minimums, such as 40% Black or 25% Hispanic student enrollment, which ED now deems unconstitutional.

 

This policy shift follows a July determination by the U.S. Solicitor General that found the HSI programs violated the Fifth Amendment’s Equal Protection component, prompting ED to withdraw its defense in an ongoing lawsuit filed by Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions. As a result, $350 million in discretionary grant funding for fiscal year 2025 will be redirected to programs that do not include what ED calls “discriminatory racial and ethnic quotas,” though ED did not list the programs the money will be redirected to. However, ED noted that it will continue to distribute $132 million in mandatory funds that are legally protected from reprogramming.

 

ED Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the Department’s stance against racial discrimination in federally supported programs, arguing that diversity must be recognized beyond surface-level racial identifiers. McMahon stated that the Department intends to collaborate with Congress to re-envision these programs. The goal is to develop new approaches that support underprepared or under-resourced students without relying on racial quotas, focusing instead on individual merit, character and need.

 

ED also made it clear that it would continue to examine the “underlying legal issues” with mandatory funding that is dedicated to these institutions.

 

House Health Subcommittee Advances the Reauthorization of Title VII Oral Health Programs

 

On Sept. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee advanced , a bill to reauthorize Title VII oral health training programs and various other health professions education programs. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), the bill passed unanimously by voice vote and now moves to the full committee for further consideration. During the subcommittee session, U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Troy Carter (D-LA) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) spoke in support of the bill–while no Republicans offered public support. Ruiz proposed a non-substantive amendment to rename the bill, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act (EMPOWER) of 2025—which also passed unanimously.

 

Kelly highlighted the inclusion of Title VII oral health programs as a critical component of the legislation. She emphasized the significance of oral health, particularly in underserved communities, underscoring its impact on overall health and the need for improved access to care. The bill, with its new title and continued bipartisan movement through committee, is scheduled for markup by the full committee this week.

 

Oregon Medicaid Crisis Threatens Dental Access

 

Oregon’s Medicaid system faces potential disruption as coordinated care organizations (CCOs) that serve more than one million low-income residents threaten to withdraw from the Oregon Health Plan due to inadequate reimbursement rates. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek’s (D) administration responded by significantly increasing rate offers to an average of 10.2%—up from an initially budgeted 3.4% increase—in an effort to prevent CCOs from leaving the program on Jan. 1. However, dental access appears to be taking a disproportionate hit in the state’s cost-cutting measures, with Sean Jessup, CEO of the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization, noting that “while the CCO rates increased overall as compared to prior years, the statewide dental rate did not receive an equivalent increase and in the tri-county area the rate was reduced after removal of the dental directed payments for 2026.”

 

This disparity means that while overall health care reimbursement rates are being boosted to keep CCOs in the program, dental services are not receiving the same level of protection. Jessup warned that “the ability to maintain dental access is going to be a challenge; and the important, scientifically-proven role of preventive care is undermined.”

 

The situation reflects broader financial pressures on Oregon’s Medicaid system, where expenditures per member grew by more than 10% between 2023 and 2024, while the state works to cut costs by shifting funds away from payments that have been used to increase provider reimbursements. If CCOs withdraw from the program, their provider networks would disappear, potentially creating significant disruptions to dental care access for Oregon’s most vulnerable populations.

 

California Enhances Protections for Undocumented Students

 

California's , which addresses public post-secondary education and immigration enforcement, has passed the legislature and provides enhanced protections for undocumented students attending California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) campuses. The bill, introduced in February 2025 and passed on Sept. 11, 2025, requires CSU trustees and requests UC regents to implement additional safeguards ensuring that immigration enforcement activities do not impact a student's eligibility for non-resident tuition exemptions, provided they meet existing legal requirements.

 

The legislation mandates that institutions assist undocumented students in accessing financial aid and academic resources while requiring the development of a systemwide policy addressing course grades, administrative withdrawals and reenrollment for students affected by immigration enforcement. Specifically, the policy must include a mechanism for students to reenroll and retain their previous academic status after experiencing disruptions due to immigration-related issues by submitting written confirmation of their intent to return to the institution.

 

This bill builds upon existing protections for undocumented students and aims to provide educational continuity during potential immigration enforcement challenges. The bill now awaits signature by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who has until the end of the legislative session to either sign it into law or veto it.

 

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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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

 

Jema Stubblefield

ADEA Senior Manager of State Relations and Advocacy

 

Colin Donnelly, M.P.S

ADEA Legislative Analyst

 

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