Action for Dental Health Act of 2017

Floor Speech

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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as February's National Children's Dental Health Month draws to a close, I thank Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone for their leadership in making sure that this bill came to the floor today.

It has been a tremendous honor to work with my colleague, Mr. Simpson from Idaho, in moving this legislation that I am intensely passionate about--the Action for Dental Health Act.

I want to acknowledge that, while Members of this Chamber may not always see eye-to-eye on matters of health policy, I am proud that my colleagues were able to work together in a constructive, compassionate, and considerate way to address the critical public health matter of improving oral health in America.

Mr. Speaker, all Americans deserve a healthy smile; but, sadly, each year, tens of millions of Americans forego needed oral healthcare due to poverty, fear, language or cultural barriers, or the simple fact that there isn't a dentist in the area in which they live.

We know that regular visits to a dentist can do more than keep your smile attractive. They can tell a whole lot about your overall health, including whether or not you may be developing a disease like diabetes, or if you are at risk for a stroke.

Fifty million Americans live in places with limited access to dental care, and economically vulnerable adults are almost twice as likely to have had no dental care in the previous year than Americans in middle- and upper-income brackets.

Dental problems are a leading problem of school absences for kids and missed work for parents. Oral health has a direct relationship with school performance. Kids who reported having recent tooth pain were four times more likely to have a low grade point average--below the median GPA of 2.8--when compared to children without oral pain, according to a study by the Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California

My bill improves oral health for Americans by breaking down barriers to care. It allows organizations to qualify for oral health grants to support activities that improve oral health education and dental disease prevention.

This includes developing and expanding outreach programs that will facilitate establishing dental homes for children and adults, including the elderly, blind, and disabled.

The Action for Dental Health Act has received the endorsement of the American Dental Association, the National Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association, and a bipartisan coalition of our congressional colleagues.

On a final note, I would like to thank the staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee; Mia Keeys on my staff; Jamie McNeil with Congressman Simpson; and also Dr. Cheryl Watson-Lowry, who came to testify on behalf of the bill, in working together to help shepherd the bill before us today.

I am a true believer in the power of order and bipartisanship in making a difference in the lives of the families we represent. The process of working with you all in advancing this bill has truly strengthened my belief in that power.

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