I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 994 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a public education 
campaign across all relevant programs of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration to increase oral health literacy and awareness. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 14, 2023 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a 
public education campaign across all relevant programs 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration 
to increase oral health literacy and awareness. 
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 ‘‘Oral Health Literacy 
and Awareness Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS CAM-
PAIGN. 
The Public Health Service Act is amended by insert-
ing after section 340G–1 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 256g– 
1) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 340G–2. ORAL HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS. 
‘‘(a) CAMPAIGN.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Ad-
ministration, shall establish a public education campaign 
(referred to in this subsection as the ‘campaign’) across 
all relevant programs of the Health Resources and Serv-
ices Administration (including the health center program, 
oral health workforce programs, maternal and child health 
programs, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and rural 
health programs) to increase oral health literacy and 
awareness. 
‘‘(b) STRATEGIES.—In carrying out the campaign, 
the Secretary shall identify oral health literacy and aware-
ness strategies that are evidence-based and focused on oral 
health care education, including education on prevention 
of oral disease such as early childhood and other caries, 
periodontal disease, and oral cancer. 
‘‘(c) FOCUS.—The Secretary shall design the cam-
paign to communicate directly with specific populations, 
including children, pregnant women, parents, the elderly, 
individuals with disabilities, and ethnic and racial minority 
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populations, including Indians, Alaska Natives, and Na-
tive Hawaiians, in a culturally and linguistically appro-
priate manner. 
‘‘(d) OUTCOMES.—In carrying out the campaign, the 
Secretary shall include a process for measuring outcomes 
and effectiveness. 
‘‘(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
report on the outcomes and effectiveness of the campaign. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—To 
carry out this section, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $750,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 
2027.’’. 
Æ 
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