Legislative updates from the American Student Dental Association

November 2014


From ASDA

Council on Advocacy member spotlight     

ASDA's Council on Advocacy represents the interests of dental students on legislative and regulatory issues that impact the dental profession. Meet Districts 8-9 Legislative Coordinator Matt Bridges, Oklahoma '17. 

 

How did you become involved in ASDA?

After attending a predental simulation course at the University of Oklahoma I joined ASDA as a predental member. The ASDA members at Oklahoma inspired me to become involved and seek leadership positions at both the chapter and national level.

 

What sparked your interest in advocacy?

Prior to starting school I worked for a group of periodontists in Tulsa, Okla. Dr. William Burchard was keenly interested in how government policy affects our profession and often emphasized the importance of being involved with organized dentistry. Dr. Rieger Wood, an Oklahoma Dental Association past-president from Tulsa, also shared with me his experiences in Washington, D.C. with both the ODA and ADA. When I got to school, Dr. Seth Brooks, Oklahoma '14, 2013-14 chair of ASDA's Council on Advocacy, shared with me his vision for local advocacy and encouraged me to run for legislative liaison.


What significant legislative accomplishment has happened in your region?

The biggest accomplishment at Oklahoma has been to connect with the ODA on a deeper level. Last year was the first time students were granted an excused absence to travel to the state capitol with the ODA to participate in lobby day. This year our chapter's advocacy committee was invited to participate in the ODA's Council on Governmental Affairs to provide a student perspective.

 

I shared what we've been doing with other District 9 members who attended ASDA's National Dental Student Lobby Day last year and now we're seeing the Texas schools get more connected with their state and local dental associations. I believe these relationships are the key to strengthening our Legislative Grassroots Network.

From Washington 
 
New regulations to protect students with large amounts of student debt   

What's the issue?

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a final rule on the Gainful Employment (GE) programs. Programs will be evaluated on graduates' debt-to-earnings ratios. The aim of these regulations is to protect students that graduate with few opportunities to repay the large amount of debt they accrued while in school. If institutions fail to comply with these regulations they could risk losing access to federal financial aid.

 

How does this affect you?

According to the ADA Dental Education Economics and Student Debt Task Force Report, "the debt to income ratio has increased substantially for dental students over the past decade. Students graduating from private dental schools in 2011 had cumulative educational debt that was 119% of the median dentist's income in that year. In 1990 this figure was 76 percent."

If the debt to income ratio continues to rise, it is important to understand the federal regulations in place to protect you as dental students.

Cost becoming less of a barrier to dental care    

What's the issue?

Cost is falling as a barrier to care for patients in need of dental care, according to a study recently completed by the ADA's Health Policy Institute. Dental care prices have grown at lower rates than other health care costs and have made it more affordable for patients to receive care. Additionally, the ACA's dependent coverage may have helped increase affordability for young adults, which is the age group that showed the greatest decrease in cost barriers. 

 

Why is this important?

It is important to understand and monitor trends that affect barriers to dental care. While improvements in dental care affordability help cost become less of a barrier, it still remains the biggest reason for delaying dental care.

 

Read the study from the ADA Health Policy Institute.

3 dentists elected to U.S. Congress     

What's the issue?

Voters elected three ADA dentists to the 114th Congress. Dr. Brian Babin (R-TX, 36) will be joining incumbent ADA members, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ, 4) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID, 2) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

How does this affect you?

These congressmen can support and advance legislative issues important to ASDA. In April 2014, Rep. Gosar dedicated his time to speak to more than 375 students about the importance of civic engagement at National Dental Student Lobby Day.

 

Rep. Simpson is one of the 45 cosponsors of H.R. 963: Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act.This was one of three bills that ASDA advocated for during National Dental Student Lobby Day in 2014.

 

Read more about the 2014 election results from ADA News.  

From the States   

California voters reject Proposition 46

What's the issue?

Voters rejected Proposition 46, the proposed law that would have increased the $250,000 pain/suffering cap in medical negligence lawsuits to $1.1 million.

 

In addition to quadrupling the cap, the proposed law would have required random drug and alcohol testing of doctors who work at hospitals. It would have also required doctors to check a state-wide database before prescribing certain drugs to patients.

 

Why is this important?

Many dental students work in community clinics that serve low-income or uninsured patients. The increase in the medical liability cap had the potential to drive up operating costs. This could have forced clinics to eliminate services they once provided to low-income or uninsured patients.

 

Read more about Prop 46 from DrBicuspid.com.

Communities vote to keep water fluoridation

What's the issue?

Salina, Kan. will keep fluoridating its water supply after defeating the request to repeal the 46-year-old ordinance. Salina is not the only community to address the issue of water fluoridation in local elections this year. The northern California town of Healdsburg will keep fluoridating its water supply after voters adopted the ballot measure last week.

 

How does this affect you?

As listed in ASDA's I-1 Policy, the association encourages the fluoridation of community water supplies. Several patients may receive misinformation on the potential risks of community water fluoridation. It is important to provide your patients with accurate information on community water fluoridation to help combat efforts to remove fluoridation from community water supplies.

 

Get the facts on water fluoridation from ASDAnet.org

Dental care covered under Medicaid in South Carolina

What's the issue?

Starting Dec. 1, Medicaid will provide preventive dental benefits to 300,000 adult Medicaid clients in the state. Of the 300,000 people eligible to receive this new benefit, many will be adults with low incomes or disabilities.

 

A survey conducted in South Carolina found that 42 percent of dentists would take on patients with the new Medicaid benefit. This will help to ensure that people eligible to receive this benefit have access to dentists that can provide preventive dental care.

 

Read more about the Medicaid benefit in South Carolina from TheState.com.  

 

How does this affect you?

As listed in ASDA's H-5 Policy, the association supports initiatives to improve and foster the oral health of persons with special needs. As dental students, it is important to be aware of the new benefits available to the clinic patients you serve.

Contact:
Stephanie Follett, senior coordinator, governance & advocacy
[email protected] | 312-440-2490
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