[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2371 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2371
To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand and improve the
provision of pediatric dental services to medically underserved
populations, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2007
Mr. Cummings (for himself, Mr. Waxman, and Mr. Kucinich) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand and improve the
provision of pediatric dental services to medically underserved
populations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``Deamonte's Law'' .
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports
that tooth decay in baby teeth has increased 15 percent among
United States toddlers and preschoolers 2 to 5 years old,
between 1988 to 1994 and 1994 to 2004.
(2) During the period of 1999 to 2004, 28 percent of young
children had experienced cavities.
(3) Tooth decay is the single most common childhood chronic
disease, and it disproportionately affects poor and minority
children.
(4) Eighty percent of dental decay occurs in just 25
percent of children.
(5) Parents are 3 times more likely to report that their
children's dental needs are unmet, when compared with general
medical care needs.
(6) While 9,000,000 of the children in this Nation do not
have medical insurance, more than twice that number--
20,000,000--do not have dental insurance.
(7) The Department of Health and Human Services estimates
that more than 31,000,000 people live in dental health provider
shortage areas, and 4,650 additional dentists would be needed
to meet the need that exists in those areas.
(8) Health centers serve as the health care home for
16,000,000 individuals, including 5,200,000 children, aged 18
and under.
(9) A significant number of health centers provide dental
services, but in many instances those services are inadequate
to meet the needs of low-income children in the communities
they serve.
SEC. 3. ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE PILOT PROGRAM.
Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 330M. ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) Grants.--The Secretary shall award grants to Federally
qualified health centers to expand and improve the provision of
pediatric dental services to medically underserved populations.
``(b) Use of Funds.--The Secretary may not make a grant to a
Federally qualified health center under this section unless the center
agrees to use the grant to expand and improve the provision of
pediatric dental services to medically underserved populations by--
``(1) recruiting dentists, pediatric dentists, or dentists
with pediatric training to provide pediatric dental services to
populations served by the center;
``(2) purchasing or renting equipment for the provision of
dental services;
``(3) constructing and expanding physical space for the
provision of dental services; or
``(4) allowing contractual relationships between Federally
qualified health centers and private dental providers to
increase access to dental care for adults and children.
``(c) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall conduct an evaluation of the activities funded through grants
under this section and submit a report to the Congress on the results
of such evaluation.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `Federally qualified health center' has the
meaning given to such term in section 1861(aa)(4) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(4)).
``(2) The term `pediatric dentist' means an individual who
has successfully completed residency training from a pediatric
dentistry program accredited by the Commission on Dental
Accreditation.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2013.''.
SEC. 4. DENTISTRY WORKFORCE PILOT PROGRAM.
Title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 292 et seq.)
is amended by inserting after section 747 the following:
``SEC. 747A. DENTISTRY WORKFORCE PILOT PROGRAM.
``(a) Grants.--The Secretary shall make grants to schools of
dentistry and hospitals with accredited training programs in pediatric
dentistry to increase the number of individuals who pursue academic
programs in pediatric dentistry.
``(b) Use of Funds.--The Secretary may not make a grant to a school
of dentistry or a hospital under this section unless the school or
hospital agrees to use the grant to increase the number of individuals
who pursue academic programs in pediatric dentistry by--
``(1) establishing, maintaining, or improving both pre- and
post-doctoral academic programs in pediatric dentistry;
``(2) recruiting and training dental students to pursue
training in pediatric dentistry;
``(3) strengthening training in pediatric dentistry within
advanced education in general dentistry and general practice
dentistry residencies in dentistry programs; or
``(4) recruiting and training practicing dentists through
continuing education programs in pediatric dentistry.
``(c) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall conduct an evaluation of the activities funded through grants
under this section and submit a report to the Congress on the results
of such evaluation.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2013.''.
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