Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 2003

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 108th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D BingamanSponsor

19 cosponsors · 15 D, 3 R, 1 I

8 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends title V (Maternal and Child Health Services) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States to improve dental services to children enrolled in Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · May 23, 2003

Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary, acting through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to establish a grant program to expand the availability of primary dental care services in medically underserved areas. Authorizes retention bonuses for eligible dental officers of the Indian Health Service.

Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of HRSA and the Director of the Indian Health Service, to establish demonstration projects to increase access to dental services for children in underserved areas.

Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) an oral health initiative to reduce disparities in oral health; and (2) Chief Dental Officers for Medicaid and SCHIP, HRSA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Requires the Director of the CDC to collect data on dental, craniofacial, and oral health.

Requires the Secretary to identify populations at high risk for early childhood caries (tooth decay) and to develop prevention programs.

Revises the eligibility requirements for the school-based dental sealant program to include Indian tribes.

Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the CDC, to award grants to States and Indian tribes to improve their basic capacity to improve the oral health of children and their families.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 2003

Latest action (May 23, 2003): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7139-7142)

Policy area: Health · Origin: Senate · Introduced: May 23, 2003

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.