I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1920
To establish a program to provide grants to expand the availability of public
health dentistry programs in medically underserved areas, health profes-
sional shortage areas, and other Federally-defined areas that lack pri-
mary dental services.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 25, 1999
Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin (for himself and Mr. OBEY) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To establish a program to provide grants to expand the
availability of public health dentistry programs in medi-
cally underserved areas, health professional shortage
areas, and other Federally-defined areas that lack pri-
mary dental services.
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 ‘‘Dental Health Access
Expansion Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part D of title III of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
‘‘Subpart IX—Primary Dental Programs
‘‘SEC. 340F. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND THE AVAIL-
ABILITY OF SERVICES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through
the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall
establish a program under which the Secretary may award
grants to eligible entities and eligible individuals to expand
the availability of primary dental care services in dental
health professional shortage areas.
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—
‘‘(1) ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a
grant under this section an entity shall—
‘‘(A) be a health center receiving funds
under section 330, or a county or local public
health department, if such center or department
is located in a federally-designated dental pro-
fessional shortage area;
‘‘(B) prepare and submit to the Secretary
an application at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require; and
‘‘(C) provide an assurance that the entity
will provide matching funds in accordance with
subsection (d).
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS.—To be eligible to receive a
grant under this section an individual shall—
‘‘(A) be a dentist licensed or certified in
accordance with the laws of State in which such
individual provides dental services;
‘‘(B) prepare and submit to the Secretary
an application at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information as the Sec-
retary may require; and
‘‘(C) provide assurances that—
‘‘(i) the individual will practice in a
federally-designated 
dental 
professional
shortage area; and
‘‘(ii) not less than 25 percent of the
patients of such individual are receiving as-
sistance under a State plan under title
XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396 et seq.).
‘‘(c) USE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) ENTITIES.—An entity shall use amounts
received under a grant under this section to provide
for the increased availability of primary dental serv-
ices in the areas described in subsection (a). Such
amounts may be used to supplement the salaries of-
fered for individuals accepting employment as den-
tists in such areas.
‘‘(2) INDIVIDUALS.—A grant to an individual
under subsection (a) shall be in the form of a
$1,000 bonus payment for each month in which such
individual is in compliance with the eligibility re-
quirements of subsection (b)(2)(C).
‘‘(d) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—An entity that re-
ceives a grant under this section shall contribute non-Fed-
eral funds to activities carried out under the grant in a
total amount equal to at least 45 percent of the amount
of the grant.
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $5,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2000–2004.
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Of the amount appro-
priate for a fiscal year under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall use—
‘‘(A) not less than 60 percent of such
amount to make grants to eligible entities; and
‘‘(B) not more than 40 percent of such
amount to make grants to eligible individuals.’’.
(b) DENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE
AREAS.—The Administrator of the Health Resources and
Services Administration, in consultation with the Associa-
tion of State and Territorial Dental Directors and other
interested parties, shall design and implement procedures
to simplify the process by which dental health professional
shortage areas are designated.
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