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American Dental Education Association


Volume 3, No. 96, September 25, 2025

U.S. House Delays Reauthorization of Title VII and Its Oral Health Training Programs
 
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health recently advanced H.R. 4262, a bill to reauthorize Title VII oral health training programs and other health professions education programs.
H.R. 4262, the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness Act (EMPOWER Act) of 2025, was introduced by U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). It passed unanimously by voice vote with supportive remarks from Democratic members though no Republicans spoke in favor of the bill.

 
Initially, the bill was expected to be marked up by the full committee last week.
However, in advance of the Committee markup, Democrats announced that the bill’s markup had been delayed.
Democrats stated that Republicans wanted the removal of all references to race, gender and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) be removed from the bill.
Republicans want to bring the language in the reauthorization in alignment with President Trump’s various Executive Orders requiring the elimination of race, gender and other DEI references from legislative language and programs.
 
Democrats strongly oppose these changes, warning that altering statutory language would make it harder to restore the language in these programs later, if at all. Democrats are concerned that these changes could weaken protections and support for historically excluded groups.

Trump Administration Redirects Funds to HBCUs After Cutting Funding for Hispanic-serving Institutions
 
The Trump administration announced $495 million in redirected federal funds to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs). The one-time investment of $495 million represents a 48.4% funding increase for HBCUs and a 109.3% increase for TCCUs, on top of what was already allocated in the 2025 federal budget. The Department of Education (ED) said the funding shift follows a review of existing grant programs, with officials arguing that the move prioritizes student success and fairness.
 
The increase comes after the ED‘s decision, two weeks ago, to cut $350 million from other programs, mainly those supporting colleges with large Hispanic student populations, citing concerns that the eligibility requirement, based on racial or ethnic enrollment thresholds, violate constitutional protections.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized that the reallocation is intended to move resources away from “ineffective and discriminatory programs” and toward initiatives that promote merit and excellence.

 
The funds redirected to HBCUs and TCCUs were discretionary funds, not mandatory funds. The administration is prohibited from redirecting mandatory funds without congressional approval.

California Legislative Update: Bills Awaiting Governor's Action
 
Three significant pieces of legislation affecting dental practice and education have advanced to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) desk and now await his signature or veto. Each measure carries important implications for dental providers, schools and patients across California:
 • SB-386 [ [link removed] ] sponsored by Sen. Monique Limón (D) – Dental Provider Fee-based Payments
    ◦ This consumer protection measure would end the practice of automatically charging dental providers fees to access their insurance reimbursements.
Under the legislation, health plans and insurers must establish fee-free payment methods as the default option and obtain written consent before implementing any fee-based payment systems.
Providers could opt out at any time and would receive full transparency about fees and profit-sharing arrangements between insurers and payment vendors.
The bill takes effect April 1, 2026, for all new or renewed contracts, addressing longstanding concerns about payment processing fees that reduce actual provider reimbursements.

 • AB-341 [ [link removed] ] sponsored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D) – Oral Health for People With Disabilities Program
    ◦ This groundbreaking initiative would partner the state’s Department of Developmental Services with California dental schools to create a statewide technical assistance program for serving patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
The program aims to reduce reliance on sedation and general anesthesia by implementing teledentistry systems and community-based treatment approaches.
Up to 21 regional centers would participate, with dental schools providing training, operational support and ongoing monitoring.
The legislation recognizes that people with disabilities face significant barriers to dental care, including longer wait times and higher costs under current treatment protocols.
Implementation requires legislative funding and would run through 2032.

 • SB-682 [ [link removed] ] sponsored by Sen. Benjamin Allen (D) – PFAS Restrictions in Consumer Products
    ◦ The Phasing Out Unnecessary Uses of PFAS Act of 2025 expands California’s ban on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products, specifically dental floss among prohibited items.
Beginning in 2028, products containing intentionally added PFAS cannot be sold or distributed in California, potentially affecting product availability for dental practices.
The legislation creates oversight funding mechanisms and includes limited exemptions only for products with “essential uses” lacking viable alternatives.


All three bills have passed the legislature and await Gov. Newsom’s decision by the end of the legislative session.

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ADEA Advocacy in Action
This appears weekly in the ADEA Advocate to summarize and provide direct links to recent advocacy actions taken by ADEA. Please let us know what you think and how we might improve its usefulness.
 
Issues and Resources
 • ADEA report [ [link removed] ] on teledentistry
 • ADEA report [ [link removed] ] on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on U.S. Dental Schools
 • ADEA policy brief [ [link removed] ] regarding overprescription of antibiotics
 • For a full list of ADEA memos, briefs and letters click here [ [link removed] ] .

Key Federal Issues [ [link removed] ]

ADEA U.S. Interactive Legislative and Regulatory Tracking Map [ [link removed] ]

Key State Issues [ [link removed] ]

The ADEA Advocate [ [link removed] ] is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.
 
©2025
American Dental Education Association
655 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-289-7201
Website: www.adea.org [ [link removed] ]

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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA
ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer
 
Bridgette DeHart, J.D.
ADEA Director of Federal Relations and Advocacy
 
Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.
ADEA Senior Director of State Relations and Advocacy
 
Jema Stubblefield
ADEA Senior Manager of State Relations and Advocacy
 
Colin Donnelly, M.P.S
ADEA Legislative Analyst
 
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