The U.S. government has been making efforts to fund grants for healthcare foundations that help underserved communities. Those who are interested in pursuing higher education in the field of dentistry may find that financial assistance is improving the oral health industry.
The American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation hosted the third annual Give Kids A Smile awards gala, which honors members of Congress who helped provide funding for programs that benefit children without dental care. Grants that were donated totaled $15,000, and they will help fund programs that provide free dental care for underserved children.
Among the recognized members of Congress were Charles Grassley, a Republican senator from Iowa and John Dingell, a Democratic representative from Michigan.
Grassley helped in pass an ADA-proposed Medicaid amendment, which fixed system flaws by increasing reimbursements for dental procedures in that program. He also helped expand the student loan interest education tax credit, which is often used by dental school students.
Dingell also contributed to the Medicaid amendment and to the Patients' Bill of Rights by supporting the importance of the dental profession and oral health throughout the U.S.
In the next eight years, employment of dentists is expected to grow by 16 percent, which is faster than the average for all other occupations, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.
