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Statutory Text

SEC. 5304. ALTERNATIVE DENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. Subpart X of part D of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 256f et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘SEC. 340G–1 ø42 U.S.C. 256g–1¿. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 15 eligible entities to enable such entities to establish a demonstration program to establish training programs to train, or to employ, alternative dental health care providers in order to increase access to dental health care services in rural and other underserved communities. ‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—The term ‘alternative dental health care providers’ includes community dental health coordinators, advance practice dental hygienists, independent dental hygienists, supervised dental hygienists, primary care physicians, dental therapists, dental health aides, and any other health professional that the Secretary determines appropriate. ‘‘(b) TIMEFRAME.—The demonstration projects funded under this section shall begin not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, and shall conclude not later than 7 years after such date of enactment. ‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall— ‘‘(1) be— ‘‘(A) an institution of higher education, including a community college; ‘‘(B) a public-private partnership; ‘‘(C) a federally qualified health center; ‘‘(D) an Indian Health Service facility or a tribe or tribal organization (as such terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act); ‘‘(E) a State or county public health clinic, a health facility operated by an Indian tribe or tribal organization, or urban Indian organization providing dental services; or ‘‘(F) a public hospital or health system; ‘‘(2) be within a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or within a dental education program in an accredited institution; and ‘‘(3) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. ‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— ‘‘(1) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—Each grant under this section shall be in an amount that is not less than $4,000,000 for the 5-year period during which the demonstration project being conducted. ‘‘(2) DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS.— ‘‘(A) PRELIMINARY DISBURSEMENTS.—Beginning 1 year after the enactment of this section, the Secretary may disperse to any entity receiving a grant under this section not more than 20 percent of the total funding awarded to such entity under such grant, for the purpose of enabling the entity to plan the demonstration project to be conducted under such grant. ‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENTS.—The remaining amount of grant funds not dispersed under subparagraph (A) shall be dispersed such that not less than 15 percent of such remaining amount is dispersed each subsequent year. ‘‘(e) COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS.—Each entity receiving a grant under this section shall certify that it is in compliance with all applicable State licensing requirements. ‘‘(f) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall contract with the Director of the Institute of Medicine to conduct a study of the demonstration programs conducted under this section that shall provide analysis, based upon quantitative and qualitative data, regarding access to dental health care in the United States. ‘‘(g) CLARIFICATION REGARDING DENTAL HEALTH AIDE PROGRAM.—Nothing in this section shall prohibit a dental health aide training program approved by the Indian Health Service from being eligible for a grant under this section. ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.’’.