An introduction to oral health care reform

Oral health care reform is made up of several components, but access to care is central. Health care reform will occur in some fashion at some point, and how it will impact the entire dental sector is unclear. In the short term, there is likely to be a dental component during the reauthorization of State Children's Health Insurance Program in early 2009, and several federal oral health bills are expected to be reintroduced as well. Additional public funding for new programs and program expansions remains questionable, as federal funding will be tight. Fiscal conservancy will be occurring in the states as well; however, various proposals to expand dental hygienists' duties are likely, as are proposals related to student grants for dental schools. Regardless of one's political stance, the profile of oral health care has been elevated, offering countless opportunities for improvement in the oral health of the nation.