June 28, 2021
The Honorable Karen Bass
U.S. House of Representatives
2021 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Bass,
On behalf of the members of our collective organizations, we would like to thank you foryour efforts to correct inequities in oral health care access and utilization within thecurrent and former foster youth population by introducing the Foster Youth Dental Act(H.R.1794). We strongly support this legislation’s provisions to improve continuity of oral
health care services for current and eligible former foster youth by expanding the age
requirement and providing incentives for dental providers to serve eligible youth.
As dentists, we know oral health is essential to general health and well-being at every
stage of life, but all too often, health policies view the mouth separately from the rest of
the body. Systemic conditions such as diabetes, for example, often first become
apparent as mouth lesions or other oral problems. More than 90% of all systemic
diseases produce oral signs and symptoms. Oral disease left untreated can result inpain, disfigurement, loss of school and work days, nutrition problems, expensive
emergency room use for preventable dental conditions, and even death.
Youth who have aged out of the foster care system face considerable barriers inaccessing oral health care. While foster youth may receive dental care while covered
under Medicaid’s EPSDT benefit, 39% of youths that have aged out of foster care do
not have dental insurance. Additionally, foster care alumni without dental insurance are
93.5% less likely to have their dental needs met than those with insurance.1 Most state
Medicaid programs do not provide extensive dental care benefits for adults past the ageof 20, contributing to the troubling oral health disparities impacting former foster youth.
We appreciate that this legislation recognizes the critical role reimbursement rates canplay in addressing the current challenges facing Medicaid programs. We hope that thelegislation’s provisions to incentivize provider participation will help former foster youth
receive the dental care they need while also serving as a future model to demonstratethat increasing provider reimbursement rates is an effective tool to improve Medicaidprograms.
The Foster Youth Dental Act presents a commonsense multi-faceted approach tosolving the access-to and utilization-of dental care issues among eligible former fosteryouth. If enacted, we believe this proposal’s ultimate success will require active androbust collaboration among professional organizations; local, state, and federal
governments; community organizations; and other private entities.
1

Oral Health Care Needs of Young Adults Transitioning from Foster Care. Carrellas, A., Day, A., & Cadet, T.
(2018). Health & Social Work, 43(1), 22-29. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29190341/

We look forward to working with you during this critical time to protect the health ofvulnerable populations, including current and former foster youth. We stand ready tohelp advance the Foster Youth Dental Act in Congress.
If you have further questions, please contact Pat O’Connor of the Academy of General
Dentistry at patoconnor@kentoconnor.com.
Sincerely,
Academy of General Dentistry
American Academy of Dental Group PracticeAmerican Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
American Academy of Pediatric DentistryAmerican Academy of Periodontology
American Association of Endodontists
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
American Association of Orthodontists
American Association of Women Dentists
American Dental Association
American Dental Education Association
American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists
American Student Dental Association
Hispanic Dental Association