AGD Applauds Conyers for Bill Helping New Dentists Practice in Areas of Need
To: BUSINESS EDITORS
Contact: Susan Urbanczyk of Academy of General Dentistry, +1-312- 440-4308, media@agd.org
CHICAGO, July 30 /PRNewswire/ — The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) applauds Rep. John Conyers (D-MI-14) for introducing the “Improving Dental Access in Underserved Communities Act of 2008″ (HR 6613) with the intent of increasing underserved population’s access to proper oral health care. Particularly, this bill would increase funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to $300 million for each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013 and $100 million would be earmarked annually for students pursuing a career in dentistry.
“We support this bill as it will help provide access to dental care for underserved communities — a top legislative goal for the AGD — by helping ensure that more dental students are able to economically pursue a career in general dentistry, serve in medically underserved areas and still be able to afford their education,” asserted Paula Jones, DDS, FAGD, AGD’s newly elected president. “While a vast number of new dentists want to serve in these areas, simple economic realities of loan repayments prevent them from doing so,” Jones added. According to the American Dental Education Association, dental school graduates’ student loan debt now exceeds $145,000.
The NHSC offers a competitive scholarship program designed for students committed to providing primary health care in communities that are the most in need. The program pays a student’s tuition and fees and provides a modest stipend. Directly upon completion of their training, students select a practice site in a federally designated health professional shortage area with a two-year minimum commitment.
This legislation would also reestablish programs that would increase the representation of minority and disadvantaged students in the health professions. Finally, the bill would provide $35.65 million for the Health Career Opportunities Program, (HCOP) which funds programming at postsecondary institutions that encourages individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and graduate from medical and other allied health profession schools.
“We would ask our legislators to co-sponsor and support this important bill,” stated Myron J. (Mike) Bromberg, DDS, Chairman of AGD’s Legislative and Governmental Affairs Council. “We need to ensure that these newly graduated dental students can practice where their expertise and training is most needed. People living in underserved areas deserve the same high quality dental care as those living elsewhere.”
About the AGD:
The AGD is a professional association of more than 35,000 dentists. Founded in 1952, the AGD has grown to become the world’s second largest dental association, and the only association that exclusively represents the needs and interests of general dentists.
More than 786,000 persons are employed directly in the field of dentistry. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs.
For more information about the AGD, visit www.agd.org.
SOURCE Academy of General Dentistry
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