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
PL 115-302 (H.R.2422), enacted 12/11/2018

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 edu-
cation’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘campaign’’ and inserting ‘‘campaign under sub-
section (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 bar-
riers to the provision of dental services, including— 
‘‘(A) through community-wide dental disease preven-
tion 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] 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 01416
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
132 STAT. 4397 
PUBLIC LAW 115–302—DEC. 11, 2018 
‘‘(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 long- 
term 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 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 01417
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES
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. 
(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. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
12:30 Jan 18, 2024
Jkt 079194
PO 00000
Frm 01418
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
G:\STATUTES\2018\GOVINFO FILES FOR ERIC\PART 3\79194PT3.001
79194PT3
whamilton on LAP1Z6H6L3PROD with STATUTES