[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 132, 115th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


Public Law 115-302
115th Congress

An Act


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health
care for low-income and other underserved individuals by breaking down
barriers to care, 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 the Action for Dental Health Act of 2018.
SEC. 2. ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

(a) In General.--Section 399LL of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 280k) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``of
Oral Health Education Campaign'' after
``Establishment''; and
(B) by striking ``focused on oral healthcare
prevention and education'' and inserting ``focused on
oral health education'';
(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``campaign'' and inserting ``campaign under
subsection (a)''; and
(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

``(c) Action for Dental Health Program.--
``(1) <>  In
general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Director of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, may award grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements to eligible entities to collaborate with State or
local public health officials, tribal health officials, oral
health professional organizations, and others, as appropriate,
to develop and implement initiatives to improve oral health,
including activities to prevent dental disease and reduce
barriers to the provision of dental services, including--
``(A) through community-wide dental disease
prevention programs; and
``(B) by increasing public awareness and education
related to oral health and dental disease prevention.
``(2) Eligible entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement under this subsection, an
entity shall be--
``(A) a dental association;

[[Page 4397]]

``(B) a State or tribal health department or State
or tribal oral health program;
``(C) an accredited dental education, dental
hygiene, or postdoctoral dental education program; or
``(D) a non-profit community-based organization that
partners with public and private non-profit entities,
such as an academic institution, to facilitate the
provision of dental services to underserved
populations.'';

(b) Technical Amendment.--Section 399LL-1(d) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k-1(d)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``shall'' and inserting ``shall, as
practicable and appropriate,'' before ``utilize''; and
(2) by striking ``public education campaign'' and inserting
``oral health education campaign and action for dental health
program''.

(c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives, a report on the outcomes and effectiveness of programs
and activities conducted under sections 399LL and 399LL-1 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k and 280k-1).
SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.

Section 340G of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256g) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(5)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the
end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) the establishment or development of models for
the provision of dental services to children and adults,
such as dental homes, including for the elderly, blind,
individuals with disabilities, and individuals living in
long-term care facilities; and
``(E) the establishment of initiatives to reduce the
use of emergency departments by individuals who seek
dental services more appropriately delivered in a dental
primary care setting;''; and

[[Page 4398]]

(2) <>  in subsection (f), by striking
``$25,000,000 for the 5-fiscal year period beginning with fiscal
year 2008'' and inserting ``$13,903,000 for each of fiscal years
2019 through 2023''.

Approved December 11, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 2422 (S. 3016):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115-328 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):
Feb. 26, considered and passed House.
Oct. 11, considered and passed Senate, amended.
Nov. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment.