Last week, Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) and Tony Cárdenas (D-CA-29) reintroduced the bipartisan Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act which directs the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop an oral health literacy strategy to reach underserved communities.
The AAO joined the Academy of General Dentists and other dental coalition groups to offer support of this legislation and appreciation for considering this important initiative. The bill authorizes HRSA to develop a 5-year evidence-based oral health literacy campaign across the agency’s relevant programs.
As the collation shared in a letter of support: “Oral health literacy is the foundation of a lifetime of wellness. Most oral health ailments can be avoided by increasing oral health literacy among all populations, with an emphasis on children to ensure they develop and maintain healthy habits into adulthood. Additionally, oral health literacy must be a cornerstone of improving the utilization of care by underserved populations. HRSA has demonstrated a commitment to improving oral health among the most vulnerable populations, and we believe their efforts to achieve this goal will be bolstered through greater integration of effective oral health literacy strategies. “
The work this legislation directs HRSA to undertake will provide insights into the outcomes and effectiveness of targeted oral health literacy strategies and will help inform future initiatives to improve the oral health literacy for all Americans. The AAO is firmly committed to increasing access to quality orthodontic care, and its support of this bill will contribute to our efforts to raise oral health awareness. You can learn more about the legislation and view the press release here.
