Action for Dental Health Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3843, the Action for Dental Health Act, sponsored by Representatives Kelly and Simpson.

Access to oral healthcare is critical to ensuring a person's overall health and well-being. Too often, however, oral healthcare is overlooked. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease in both children and adults in the United States. In fact, more than one in four adults have untreated cavities, and nearly half of American adults show signs of gum disease.

Clearly, we need to do more to expand access to oral healthcare, including strengthening the oral healthcare workforce.

The Action for Dental Health Act will reauthorize State oral health workforce improvement programs. These programs seek to enhance dental workforce planning and development through the support of innovative programs that meet the individual needs of each funded State.

I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort to strengthen and expand access to oral healthcare. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R.

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Ms. SCHRIER. Kelly).

Mr. Speaker, I speak now as a pediatrician. In addition to limiting children's consumption of sweet drinks and frequent snacking on carbohydrates, to providing fluoride for all of our patients, we absolutely need to expand the oral healthcare workforce to provide dental care for our patients.

I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3843, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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