PUBLIC LAW 115–302—DEC. 11, 2018 

ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH ACT OF 2018 


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132 STAT. 4396 PUBLIC LAW 115–302—DEC. 11, 2018 

Public Law 115–302 

115th Congress 

An Act 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health care 

for low-income and other underserved individuals by breaking down barriers 

to care, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the Action for Dental Health Act 

of 2018. 

SEC. 2. ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 399LL of the Public Health Service 

Act (42 U.S.C. 280k) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ‘‘OF ORAL

HEALTH EDUCATION CAMPAIGN’’ after ‘‘ESTABLISHMENT’’; 

and 

(B) by striking ‘‘focused on oral healthcare prevention 

and education’’ and inserting ‘‘focused on oral health education’’; 

(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph 

(1), by striking ‘‘campaign’’ and inserting ‘‘campaign under subsection (a)’’; and 

(3) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(c) ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the 

Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

and the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services 

Administration, may award grants, contracts, or cooperative 

agreements to eligible entities to collaborate with State or 

local public health officials, tribal health officials, oral health 

professional organizations, and others, as appropriate, to 

develop and implement initiatives to improve oral health, 

including activities to prevent dental disease and reduce barriers to the provision of dental services, including— 

‘‘(A) through community-wide dental disease prevention programs; and 

‘‘(B) by increasing public awareness and education 

related to oral health and dental disease prevention. 

‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a grant, 

contract, or cooperative agreement under this subsection, an 

entity shall be— 

‘‘(A) a dental association; 

Consultation. 

Grants. 

Contracts. 

Action for Dental 

Health Act 

of 2018. 

42 USC 201 note. 

Dec. 11, 2018 

[H.R. 2422] 


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PUBLIC LAW 115–302—DEC. 11, 2018 132 STAT. 4397 

‘‘(B) a State or tribal health department or State or 

tribal oral health program; 

‘‘(C) an accredited dental education, dental hygiene, 

or postdoctoral dental education program; or 

‘‘(D) a non-profit community-based organization that 

partners with public and private non-profit entities, such 

as an academic institution, to facilitate the provision of 

dental services to underserved populations.’’; 

(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 399LL–1(d) of the Public 

Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280k–1(d)) is amended— 

(1) by striking ‘‘shall’’ and inserting ‘‘shall, as practicable 

and appropriate,’’ before ‘‘utilize’’; and 

(2) by striking ‘‘public education campaign’’ and inserting 

‘‘oral health education campaign and action for dental health 

program’’. 

(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 3 years after the 

date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 

Services shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report on the 

outcomes and effectiveness of programs and activities conducted 

under sections 399LL and 399LL–1 of the Public Health Service 

Act (42 U.S.C. 280k and 280k–1). 

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS. 

Section 340G of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256g) 

is amended— 

(1) in subsection (b)(5)— 

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(D) the establishment or development of models for 

the provision of dental services to children and adults, 

such as dental homes, including for the elderly, blind, 

individuals with disabilities, and individuals living in longterm care facilities; and 

‘‘(E) the establishment of initiatives to reduce the use 

of emergency departments by individuals who seek dental 

services more appropriately delivered in a dental primary 

care setting;’’; and 


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132 STAT. 4398 PUBLIC LAW 115–302—DEC. 11, 2018 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2422 (S. 3016): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 115–328 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018): 

Feb. 26, considered and passed House. 

Oct. 11, considered and passed Senate, amended. 

Nov. 28, House concurred in Senate amendment. 

Æ 

(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘$25,000,000 for the 5- 

fiscal year period beginning with fiscal year 2008’’ and inserting 

‘‘$13,903,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 

Approved December 11, 2018. 

Time periods. 


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