What This Bill Does
This bill asks the federal government to create a public education campaign about dental health. The campaign would teach people how to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and mouth cancer through various government health programs.
Who It Affects
The bill directly affects:
- The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Health Resources and Services Administration (the federal agency that runs health programs)
- Children, pregnant women, parents, elderly people, individuals with disabilities, and ethnic and racial minority populations including Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians
- Congress (which receives reports about the campaign's results)
Key Provisions
- The Secretary must create a public education campaign about oral health across all relevant Health Resources and Services Administration programs, including health center programs, oral health workforce programs, maternal and child health programs, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and rural health programs. (Sec. 2, 340G-2(a))
- The campaign must use education strategies based on evidence and focus on preventing tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer. (Sec. 2, 340G-2(b))
- The campaign must communicate with specific populations in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways. (Sec. 2, 340G-2(c))
- The Secretary must measure how well the campaign works and include a process for tracking its results. (Sec. 2, 340G-2(d))
- The Secretary must report to Congress within 3 years about how the campaign performed. (Sec. 2, 340G-2(e))
What Changes
The Public Health Service Act is amended to add a new requirement for a federal dental health education campaign. This campaign did not previously exist.
Important Definitions
- Oral health literacy: understanding about dental health and care
- Caries: tooth decay
- Periodontal disease: gum disease
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 403
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a public education
campaign across all relevant programs of the Health Resources and
Services Administration to increase oral health literacy and awareness.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 14, 2023
Mr. LUJA´N (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, and Mr. CARDIN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a
public education campaign across all relevant programs
of the Health Resources and Services Administration
to increase oral health literacy and awareness.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Oral Health Literacy
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and Awareness Act of 2023’’.
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•S 403 IS
SEC. 2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS CAM-
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PAIGN.
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The Public Health Service Act is amended by insert-
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ing after section 340G–1 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 256g–
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1) the following:
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‘‘SEC. 340G–2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS.
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‘‘(a) CAMPAIGN.—The Secretary, acting through the
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Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Ad-
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ministration, shall establish a public education campaign
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(referred to in this subsection as the ‘campaign’) across
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all relevant programs of the Health Resources and Serv-
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ices Administration (including the health center program,
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oral health workforce programs, maternal and child health
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programs, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and rural
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health programs) to increase oral health literacy and
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awareness.
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‘‘(b) STRATEGIES.—In carrying out the campaign,
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the Secretary shall identify oral health literacy and aware-
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ness strategies that are evidence-based and focused on oral
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health care education, including education on prevention
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of oral disease such as early childhood and other caries,
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periodontal disease, and oral cancer.
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‘‘(c) FOCUS.—The Secretary shall design the cam-
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paign to communicate directly with specific populations,
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including children, pregnant women, parents, the elderly,
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individuals with disabilities, and ethnic and racial minority
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•S 403 IS
populations, including Indians, Alaska Natives, and Na-
1
tive Hawaiians, in a culturally- and linguistically-appro-
2
priate manner.
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‘‘(d) OUTCOMES.—In carrying out the campaign, the
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Secretary shall include a process for measuring outcomes
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and effectiveness.
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‘‘(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 3 years
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after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary
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shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education,
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Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on
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Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives
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a report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the cam-
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paign.
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‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To
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carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
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priated $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through
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2028.’’.
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Æ
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