I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 539 
To amend part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act to improve 
essential oral health care for lower income individuals by breaking down 
barriers to care, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 27, 2015 
Ms. KELLY of Illinois (for herself and Mr. SIMPSON) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend part B of title III of the Public Health Service 
Act to improve essential oral health care for lower income 
individuals by breaking down barriers to care, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives 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 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:10 Feb 03, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H539.IH
H539
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) More than 181 million Americans will not 
visit a dentist even though nearly half of people over 
30 suffer from some form of gum disease and nearly 
one in four children under the age of five already 
have cavities. 
(2) Many volunteer dental projects sponsored 
by national, State, and local dental societies provide 
free care now to those most in need. Annually, den-
tists deliver an estimated $2.6 billion in free and dis-
counted care according to the America’s Dentists 
Care Foundation. 
(3) It is estimated that emergency department 
(ED) charges for dental complaints totaled up to 
$2.1 billion in 2010. Nearly 80 percent of the dental 
emergency room visits were nonurgent and could 
have been seen in a dental office. Shifting those ED 
visits to a dental office translates into potential cost 
savings of up to $1.7 billion a year and offers the 
possibility of establishing a ‘‘dental home’’ for these 
individuals. 
(4) Seniors, especially those in nursing homes 
and long-term care facilities, often have special den-
tal needs and complicated medical histories that re-
quire consultation between dentists and fellow med-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:49 Feb 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H539.IH
H539
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ical professionals in providing an interdisciplinary 
approach to their overall health needs. 
SEC. 3. VOLUNTEER DENTAL PROJECTS AND ACTION FOR 
DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
is revised by amending section 317M (42 U.S.C. 247b– 
14) as follows: 
(1) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as 
(g) and (h), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after subsection (d), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) GRANTS TO SUPPORT VOLUNTEER DENTAL 
PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, may award grants to or 
enter into contracts with eligible entities to obtain 
portable or mobile dental equipment, and pay for ap-
propriate operational costs, for the provision of free 
dental services to underserved populations that are 
delivered in a manner consistent with State licensing 
laws. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this subsection, the 
term ‘eligible entity’ includes a State or local dental 
association, a State oral health program, a dental 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:49 Feb 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H539.IH
H539
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
education, dental hygiene education, or postdoctoral 
dental education program accredited by the Commis-
sion on Dental Accreditation, and a community- 
based organization that partners with an academic 
institution, that— 
‘‘(A) is exempt from tax under section 
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; 
and 
‘‘(B) offers a free dental services program 
for underserved populations. 
‘‘(f) ACTION FOR DENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Director of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, may award grants to or 
enter into contracts with eligible entities to collabo-
rate with State, county, or local public officials and 
other stakeholders to develop and implement initia-
tives to accomplish any of the following goals: 
‘‘(A) To improve oral health education and 
dental disease prevention, including community- 
wide prevention programs, use of dental 
sealants and fluoride varnish, and increasing 
oral health literacy. 
‘‘(B) To make the health care delivery sys-
tem providing dental services more accessible 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:49 Feb 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H539.IH
H539
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
and efficient through the development and ex-
pansion of outreach programs that will facili-
tate the establishment of dental homes for chil-
dren and adults, including the aged, blind, and 
disabled populations. 
‘‘(C) To reduce geographic, language, cul-
tural, and similar barriers in the provision of 
dental services. 
‘‘(D) To help reduce the use of emergency 
departments by those who seek dental services 
more appropriately delivered in a dental pri-
mary care setting. 
‘‘(E) To facilitate the provision of dental 
care to nursing home residents who are dis-
proportionately affected by lack of care. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—In this subsection, the 
term ‘eligible entity’ includes a State or local dental 
association, a State oral health program, or a dental 
education, dental hygiene, or postdoctoral dental 
education program accredited by the Commission on 
Dental Accreditation, and a community-based orga-
nization that partners with an academic institution, 
that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:49 Feb 02, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H539.IH
H539
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS