[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 100 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4078-S4079]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL ORAL HEALTH MONTH

  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I rise today to recognize June as 
National Oral Health Month. This month provides us an opportunity to 
reflect on the significant role oral health plays in overall health and 
to recommit our efforts to ensure that Americans have access to quality 
oral health care.
  While oral diseases alone contribute to negative outcomes, there are 
proven relationships between poor oral health and other medical 
conditions like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, pneumonia, 
premature birth, and infectious diseases. The World Health Organization 
estimates economic productivity losses from oral diseases at $323 
billion in 2022.
  Oral disease affects Americans of all ages. For children, dental 
cavities remain one of the most common chronic diseases. About one in 
four preschool children experienced caries in primary teeth and at 
least one in six children aged 6 to 11 years experienced dental 
cavities in permanent teeth. According to the CDC, 34 million school 
hours are lost each year--on average--because of emergency dental care.
  In Maryland, like many other States, we have witnessed firsthand the 
consequences of neglecting the oral health of young people. Deamonte 
Driver, a 12-year-old Prince George's County resident, tragically died 
in 2007 due to a lack of comprehensive dental services. Deamonte's 
death was particularly heartbreaking because it was entirely 
preventable. What started out as a toothache turned into a severe brain 
infection that could have been prevented by an $80 extraction. After 
multiple surgeries and a lengthy hospital stay, sadly, Deamonte passed 
away.
  We must ensure everyone has timely, affordable access to oral health 
care.
  In recent years, dentists nationwide have seen a significant decrease 
in operating room access for dental procedures. This problem has 
primarily impacted children and adults with disabilities who are in 
need of urgent dental care and cannot access it in an office-based 
setting, necessitating care in an operating room. Earlier this 
Congress, Senator Blackburn and I sent a letter to the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services urging them to include the recently 
established code for dental surgical services in the 2024 Medicare 
Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System. I am glad to say that 
the code was included in CMS's final rule to expand access to these 
critical procedures and shorten the waitlists to receive care under 
general anesthesia in operating rooms.
  I am proud to say that we have since made significant progress in 
improving access to pediatric dental care in our country and in 
Maryland. In 2009, Congress reauthorized the Children's Health 
Insurance Program--CHIP--with an important addition: a guaranteed 
pediatric dental benefit. Research shows that CHIP generally offers 
more comprehensive benefits at a much lower cost to families than 
private coverage. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act--ACA--has 
significantly improved access to affordable dental care for millions of 
Americans by requiring most insurers to cover essential health 
benefits.
  Providing dental coverage for adults also improves outcomes for their 
children. A 2021 study found that Medicaid adult dental coverage was 
associated with a reduction in the prevalence of untreated tooth decay 
among children after parents had access to coverage for at least 1 
year. The study found that all children saw improvements in oral 
health, and non-Hispanic Black children experienced larger and more 
persistent improvements than non-Hispanic White children. A Medicaid 
dental benefit for adults would enhance the progress for children and 
provide much needed dental care and improve oral health outcomes for 
adults, showing the interconnectedness in outcomes for all ages.
  Earlier this Congress, I introduced the Medicare Dental Benefit Act. 
This legislation would require Medicare coverage to include dental and 
oral health services, such as routine diagnostic and preventive 
services, basic and major dental services, and emergency care. By 
including these services in Medicare, more than 65 million seniors and 
people with disabilities would have access to affordable dental care.
  I have also worked with Senator Stabenow to introduce the Medicaid 
Dental Benefit Act. This bill would extend comprehensive dental health 
benefits to tens of millions of low-income Americans on Medicaid. The 
legislation would provide States with a 100 percent Federal match for 
the dental benefit for 3 years. This investment of Federal funds would 
support States to set up or improve their dental benefit and assist in 
provider education and outreach efforts to better connect enrollees to 
oral health care.
  Last year, I held a hearing in the Senate Finance Health Care 
Subcommittee to focus on these issues. The hearing highlighted 
disparities in access to oral health care, which have persisted and 
have serious consequences for children, adults, families, and 
communities. I was proud to have Dr. Warren Brill, a distinguished 
pediatric dentist from Maryland who has long provided care to low-
income children serve as a witness. Dr. Brill was able to provide 
valuable insights for our conversation and gave Senators an on-the-
ground perspective of someone doing this important work.
  It is also important that we support research focused on empowering 
dentists and advancing oral health for all. I am proud to have the 
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, one of the 
National Institutes of Health, in Maryland and I was glad to pass a 
resolution this Congress to recognize their 75th anniversary and 
highlight the important work they do.
  While we will continue to work on combating oral disease in Maryland 
and the United States, we must also realize that it is a global 
challenge that requires cooperation from partners around the world to 
address effectively.
  Oral diseases, such as tooth decay and gum disease, are globally the 
most common health conditions, impacting over 3.5 billion people as of 
2019. Despite the widespread nature of oral diseases, many go untreated 
as health systems around the world are often not properly equipped to 
deliver appropriate oral health care.
  In light of these concerning figures, I am glad to see that the World 
Health Organization, FDI World Dental Federation, and National 
Institutes of Health have all issued landmark oral health reports in 
2021 and 2022 as well as the World Health Assembly having adopted a 
global strategy on oral health in 2022. Our coordinated efforts with 
global partners are essential to overcoming this widespread issue.
  It is important that we reiterate that oral health is a crucial part 
of overall health and accessing care should not be a luxury reserved 
for the most privileged. Ensuring affordable, quality care not only 
helps to combat widespread issues like dental caries and gum disease, 
but also can work to the significant health disparities that exist in 
America. As we recognize the progress we have made on this issue, we 
must recommit to expanding access to oral health services, reducing 
disparities and emphasizing a preventative approach. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in this effort.

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