,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dcie  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #c1 #bjad ,ms4
 ,kelly of ,illinois introduced the     
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend part ,b of title   
,,iii of the ,public ,health ,service   
,act to improve essential oral health   
care for lower-income individuals by    
breaking down barriers to care4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,action for ,dental ,health ,act    
#bjad4  #b4 ,grants to support volunteer
 dental projects and public-private     
partnerships ,part ,b of title ,,iii of 
the ,public ,health ,service ,act is    
amended by inserting after section      
#cbj;,a 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d-#h7 the   
following new sections3  #cbj;,b4       
,grants to support volunteer dental     
projects  7a7 ,authority ,to make grants
 ,the ,secretary shall award grants to  
or enter into contracts with eligible   
entities described in subsection 7b7 to 

obtain portable or mobile dental        
equipment and to pay for appropriate    
operational costs1 including direct     
health care or service delivery costs1  
for the provision of free dental        
services to underserved populations that
 are delivered in a manner consistent   
with ,state licensing laws4  7b7        
,eligible entity ,an eligible entity    
under this subsection is an             
organization1 such as a ,state or local 
dental association1 ,state oral health  
program1 or a dental education1 dental  
hygiene education1 or postdoctoral      
dental education program accredited by  
the ,commission on ,dental              
,accreditation1 or a community-based    
organization that partners with an      
academic institution1 that--  7#a7 is   
exempt from tax under section #eja7;c7  
of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of      
#aihf2 and  7#b7 offers a free dental   
services program for underserved        
populations4  7c7 ,application ,an      
entity desiring a grant under this      

section shall submit an application to  
the ,secretary in such manner as the    
,secretary may require4  7d7            
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #aj1jjj1jjj for  
the first fiscal year beginning after   
the date of enactment of the ,action for
 ,dental ,health ,act #bjad and for each
 of the #d succeeding fiscal years4     
#cbj;,c4 ,grants for public-private     
partnerships to improve oral health     
education and dental disease prevention 
and ,medicaid and ,,chip dental         
programs1 and for other purposes  7a7   
,authority ,to make grants ,the         
,secretary shall award grants to or     
enter into contracts with eligible      
entities described in subsection 7b7 to 
collaborate with ,state1 county1 or     
local public officials and other        
stakeholders in order to develop and    
implement initiatives to accomplish any 
of the following goals3  7#a7 ,to       
improve oral health education and dental

 disease prevention1 including          
community-wide prevention programs1 use 
of dental sealants and fluoride varnish1
 and increasing oral health literacy4   
7#b7 ,to reduce barriers 7including low 
reimbursement and administrative        
impediments7 in a manner that increases 
dental provider participation in        
,medicaid and the ,children's ,health   
,insurance ,program 7,,chip7 under      
titles ,,xix and ,,xxi of the ,social   
,security ,act4  7#c7 ,to make the      
health care delivery system providing   
dental services under ,medicaid or      
,,chip more accessible and efficient by 
taking actions necessary to facilitate  
the establishment of dental homes for   
children1 adults1 and the aged1 blind1  
and disabled populations4  7#d7 ,to     
address geographic1 language1 cultural1 
and similar barriers in the provision of
 dental services4  7#e7 ,to reduce the  
use of emergency departments to seek    
dental services more appropriately      
delivered in a dental primary care      

setting4  7b7 ,eligible entity ,an      
eligible entity under this subsection is
 a ,state or local dental association or
 a ,state dental association foundation 
that--  7#a7 is exempt from tax under   
section #eja7;c7 of the ,internal       
,revenue ,code of #aihf2 and  7#b7      
partners with public and private        
stakeholders to facilitate the provision
 of dental services for underserved     
populations4  7c7 ,application ,an      
entity desiring a grant under this      
section shall submit an application to  
the ,secretary in such manner as the    
,secretary may require4  7d7            
,authorization of appropriations ,there 
is authorized to be appropriated to     
carry out this section #aj1jjj1jjj for  
the first fiscal year beginning after   
the date of enactment of the ,action for
 ,dental ,health ,act #bjad and for each
 of the #d succeeding fiscal years4  4