From ASDA

Introducing Advocacy Month 2024: Win the Race

ASDA wants you to win your race! We are sprinting towards a better future by providing you with all the resources you need to be the best advocate you can be this election season. Advocacy Month will be jam-packed with advocacy text challenges, voting initiatives and voting celebrations- and of course, ASDA’s advocacy mascot- the molar bear!

Donut Forget to Vote Chapter Competition

Register to vote, get a sweet treat and help your chapter win prizes! ASDA chapters will be hosting Donut Forget to Vote events to help get you registered to vote in time for the election in November. Not only will there likely be donuts, but there will be resources for developing a voting plan that works best for you. Already registered to vote? No problem, you can still help your chapter race towards victory by filling out a quick survey confirming you are already registered to vote. We bet they will still let you have a donut too! The three chapters with the largest percentage of voters registered will receive Amazon gift cards to be used at a future advocacy event. More donuts all around!

ASDA Signs on to Coalition Letter Outlining Concerns with Proposed NIH Restructuring

As discussed in the August issue of Advocacy Brief, the 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act includes plans to restructure the National Institutes of Health by reducing the number of Institutes and Centers within the National Institutes of Health from 27 to 15. This would include eliminating the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Under the plan, the work would be folded into a new organization, the National Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research.

The letter signed by more than twenty dental and other health organizations outlines the concerns with the proposed restructuring noting how it could impact progress and innovation in critical areas within the healthcare field.

Want to learn more about this issue? Check out Council on Advocacy Chair Bree Zhang’s infographic explaining the proposed restructuring.

Learn About Loan Repayment Opportunities!

Webinar Title: Loan Repayment Program Opportunities for Dentists in Community Health Centers

Date/Time: October 8 at 4 pm PT/5 pm MT/6 pm CT/7 pm ET

Description:

Join us for an insightful webinar tailored to current (and future) dentists dedicated to serving their communities within community health centers. We will explore a diverse range of loan repayment programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens often associated with pursuing a career in dentistry. Attendees will hear firsthand experiences from practitioners who have benefited from these programs, gaining valuable insights and inspiration to navigate their financial journey while making a meaningful impact on underserved populations.

Learning Objectives:

Describe loan repayment opportunities for current and future dentists serving underserved populations.
Discuss how dentists can participate in loan repayment programs to alleviate financial stress and pursue careers in dental public health.
Learn from dentists who have participated in loan repayment programs.

CDE Offered: 1 CDE credit

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QUjBcYDgSB23SZUdpTX6FA

Note: Attendees must register and attend via their own individual Zoom registration link to receive CDE credit

From Washington

Calls for Medicaid Reform

A new report from the ADA Health Policy Institute and the Association of Dental Support Organizations found thousands of beneficiaries face significant financial and systemic barriers to obtaining dental care through Medicaid.

According to the ADA, nearly 3 out of 5 Medicaid beneficiaries surveyed in eight states by HPI were unable to connect with a dentist because of an absence of nearby Medicaid-enrolled providers or providers who could speak their language or were of their cultural background. Additionally, 2 out of 5 enrollees said prohibitive out-of-pocket costs or a lack of covered services made it difficult to care for their oral health.

As listed in ASDA’s policy, the association supports evidence-based measures that are efficacious and sustainable in reducing barriers to care in underserved communities.

ASDA continues to advocate for the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act, which would require comprehensive dental care for adults to be part of all state Medicaid programs.

You can still urge your lawmakers to pass this bill, contact them today!

From the States

Buffalo to Resume Water Fluoridation

The City of Buffalo, New York, is set to restart fluoridating its water supply this fall, according to the Buffalo Water Authority. Buffalo stopped fluoridating its water in 2015. Since then, advocates have worked to add fluoride back into drinking water.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that can be added to drinking water to prevent tooth decay.

According to the ADA, water fluoridation reduces tooth decay by at least 25% in children and adults and was dubbed “one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century” by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As listed in ASDA policy, the association encourages the fluoridation of community water supplies at optimal levels as determined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ASDA supports the use of fluoridated products as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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