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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 483 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 483

  Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of oral 
                    health, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 18, 2006

 Mr. Cochran submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the importance of oral 
                    health, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Surgeon General has determined that oral health is integral to 
        general health;
Whereas the Surgeon General has identified numerous oral-systemic disease 
        connections, including possible associations between chronic oral 
        infections and diabetes, heart and lung diseases, stroke, low-birth-
        weight, and premature births;
Whereas the burden of dental and oral health diseases restricts activities of an 
        individual at school, at work, and at home, and often significantly 
        diminishes the quality of life of an individual;
Whereas oral health diseases, including dental caries and periodontal disease, 
        are largely preventable;
Whereas the effective treatment and prevention of those diseases are 
        substantially aided by access to highly trained dental primary care 
        professionals;
Whereas the Academy of General Dentistry was officially incorporated in 1952, 
        with the mission to serve as the premier resource for general dentists 
        who are committed to improving patient care through lifelong learning 
        and continuing education;
Whereas the Academy of General Dentistry has grown to represent over 33,000 
        general dentists who provide primary care, oral health care services;
Whereas the Academy of General Dentistry encourages excellence in continuing 
        education and professionalism through its earned professional 
        designation programs known as ``Mastership'', ``Fellowship and Lifelong 
        Learning'', and ``Service Recognition''; and
Whereas the Academy of General Dentistry has signed a memorandum of 
        understanding with the Department of Health and Human Services to help 
        improve the oral health status of the citizens of the United States and 
        achieve the objectives of the Healthy People 2010 initiative of the 
        Department: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) access to oral health care services and the prevention 
        of oral health care disease is integral to achieving and 
        maintaining good health; and
            (2) the Academy of General Dentistry and the members of 
        that organization are recognized for--
                    (A) promoting--
                            (i) excellence in continuing dental 
                        education; and
                            (ii) high standards of training and 
                        professionalism in the field of primary dental 
                        care; and
                    (B) helping to address the treatment and prevention 
                of oral health disease.
                                 <all>
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