Here are seven federal government and policy updates from the last 30 days: 1. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association said the newly enacted federal budget could lead states to remove dental benefits from Medicaid. 2. The Association for Dental Safety … Read More
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has introduced legislation to roll back some of the Medicaid changes that he had voted for in the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Five things to know: 1. Mr. Hawley’s bill would repeal the … Read More
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — At the La Tiendita food pantry, ABC13 met Moses. Wheelchair-bound for 40 years, he’s confused about what the new law means for him. “Taking Medicaid away,” he told ABC13. “All the assistance we get, it’s going … Read More
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — At the La Tiendita food pantry, ABC13 met Moses. Wheelchair-bound for 40 years, he’s confused about what the new law means for him. “Taking Medicaid away,” he told ABC13. “All the assistance we get, it’s going … Read More
MetLife has agreed to change its recoupment policy after the American Dental Association sent a letter in April seeking clarification of its practices. The ADA had received reports of the insurance company reducing, or “offsetting,” payments owed to dentists to … Read More
Dental Group Orthodontics in Dumas, Texas, will permanently close its doors Aug. 5. The practice announced the closure in a Facebook post, recommending that patients continue their care at its office in Amarillo, Texas. A reason for the closure was … Read More
September 29 – 30, 2025 // Hyatt Regency, Chicago Why Attend ENGAGE, NETWORK AND LEARN Dental care has been elevated as one of the most important aspects of whole-person care and digital technology is improving patient outcomes. Both large and … Read More
Dental industry leaders are preparing for what may be some harsh consequences of the recently enacted federal budget bill. President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act July 4. The bill is expected to increase the national debt … Read More
Getting braces is a rite of passage for many children and some adults, but it can strain families’ budgets. Texas A&M University College of Dentistry in Dallas offers lower cost orthodontic treatment for children, teens and adults, and spots are … Read More
The American Dental Association has released its latest edition of “Fluoridation Facts” to help combat fluoride misinformation. The free e-book highlights 80 years of research and practical experience that support community water fluoridation. With a Q&A format, the guide details … Read More
The Association for Dental Safety has launched a new organization to provide clinical guidelines and best practices after the CDC’s oral health division was eliminated in a round of federal layoffs. The CDC’s oral health division was shuttered earlier this … Read More
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks has introduced a bill that would expand coverage of dental, hearing and vision care under Medicare and Medicaid. Four notes: 1. The Medicare and Medicaid Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 would require Medicare to … Read More
As dental suppliers learn to adapt to price fluctuations brought on by ongoing tariffs, dental practices may also have to make some changes to remain successful. Jeff Cellucci, chief strategy officer at MB2 Dental, recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss … Read More
U.S. medical supply manufacturers are voicing support for the newly passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes a series of tax and trade measures aimed at boosting domestic production of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies. The legislation … Read More
Not long ago, Dr. Suzanne Fournier saw a 16-year-old patient with a swollen face and difficulty breathing. Fournier, a dentist who practices at an urban hospital in Louisiana, had to extract six of the teen’s teeth; he was eventually intubated … Read More
Supporters of sweeping tax and spending legislation sent to President Donald Trump say changes to Medicaid, food aid, and other programs will encourage personal responsibility and stop system abuse. In Texas, Medicaid covers a third of all children, half of … Read More
The Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare, the health care industry alliance better known as CAQH, is calling for dental providers to participate in the 2025 CAQH Index. The CAQH Index is the only industry benchmarking tool that tracks and reports … Read More
July 3, 2025 (Boston, MA) –CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a leading national nonprofit focused on creating a more accessible, equitable, and integrated oral health system, today issued a statement regarding the passage of a tax and spending package that … Read More
California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas saw the most DSO activity during the second quarter of 2025. Becker’s recently compiled a list of more than 60 DSO affiliations, openings and acquisitions during the second quarter. Here is how DSOs expanded in … Read More
A legislative proposal put forward by the North Carolina state Senate that would open the door for hedge funds and private equity firms to acquire, open and operate dental practices not run by licensed dentists in North Carolina has hit … Read More
About a year and a half ago, I started temping at Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children in Pierce County. I told the dental director, Dr. Stephens, “I don’t really like kids,” half-joking, half-honest. She smiled and said, “Just try it.” … Read More
Unity Clinic of Texas began seeing patients in Leander in late June. The volunteer-run nonprofit clinic provides free medical and dental services to low-income, uninsured or underinsured Williamson County residents. The clinic is open from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday and … Read More
“Three Things You Missed in Government This Week” is designed to offer a way to stay informed on the topics of the week. These updates are meant to offer brief details on legislative or regulatory topics to keep dentists engaged … Read More
Registration is open for SmileCon 2025, which will bring dentists together Oct. 23-25 in the nation’s capital to enhance their teams’ capabilities, transform their practices and stay ahead in an ever-evolving industry. “I’m thrilled to welcome you to SmileCon 2025 … Read More
Medicaid ensures 80 million Americans, and over 500,000 West Virginians, have access to health care. Importantly, Medicaid is also a core source of oral health care coverage for families across the country, which is critical to ensuring overall health and … Read More
A local nonprofit is hoping to raise awareness in the month of June for kids to stay on top of their dental hygiene health. Community Smiles Dental is a nonprofit that serves kids and those with special needs who rely … Read More
The Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee recently held a hearing to discuss the lack of access to dental care in rural Pennsylvania, the Franklin County Free Press reported June 20. Six notes: 1. The hearing, held June 18, included testimony … Read More
The Des Moines Area Community College received a $250,000 grant to construct a new facility for its dental programs. The school will build a 26,000-square-foot building on its Ankeny, Iowa, campus. The facility will include simulation labs, classrooms, a student … Read More
DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., has donated $10,000 to support a South Carolina clinic that provides dental care for low-income adults with cancer and uninsured school-aged children who lack regular access to a dentist. The funding went to the … Read More
The ADA is highlighting the benefits of improved data exchange for dentists and patients, sharing support for improved dental-medical interoperability, and addressing barriers faced by dental providers in adopting and implementing electronic health records, prescription drug monitoring tools and standards-based … Read More
September 29 – 30, 2025 // Hyatt Regency, Chicago Dental care has been elevated as one of the most important aspects of whole-person care and digital technology is improving patient outcomes. Both large and small DSOs are growing alongside thriving … Read More
DALLAS (KDAF) — A new analysis has identified significant trends in the Texas healthcare system, with high spending failing to translate into better patient outcomes. The study, conducted by international healthcare recruitment experts Espirita, analyzed healthcare performance metrics across all … Read More
Advancements in artificial intelligence algorithms and technology are transforming the healthcare landscape, particularly in the field of dentistry. Restorative dentist Dr. Matt Larsen highlighted the impact of AI-driven care on improving patient safety and success. “AI is changing the game … Read More
Several states have either passed or are considering legislation to help alleviate dental workforce shortages. Six updates to know: 1. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill requiring that at least 80% of students accepted into the University of Iowa dental … Read More
The American Dental Association will hold a webinar covering information for dentists wishing to treat Medicare beneficiaries and outlining other new requirements for Medicare billing set to begin next month. The webinar, called Medicare Claims Submissions & Administrative Modifiers: Updates … Read More
The ADA and three other organizations submitted a testimony June 13 in support of federal programs aimed at expanding access to oral health care. These include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Oral Health, the Centers for … Read More
Hospitals, physician groups, and nursing homes across 15 states will receive billions of dollars in extra Medicaid funding this year thanks to federal health care officials signing off on new agreements. In almost all of the new agreements, states will … Read More
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, is charting an ambitious course for the agency, pledging to align federal healthcare policy with President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda while pushing for sweeping reforms across Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA marketplace. … Read More
Sacramento, Calif. — The California Dental Association issued the following statement today on the state legislature’s budget agreement. The proposed legislative agreement delays Governor Newsom’s proposal to eliminate Proposition 56 funding for Medi-Cal Dental services and dental coverage for undocumented … Read More
Hospitals across the U.S. are continuing their long recovery from the financial turbulence of the early 2020s, with April’s data from Kaufman Hall’s “National Hospital Flash Report” offering a mixed but cautiously optimistic outlook. Based on data from more than … Read More
