Building the Future Dental Workforce
Strengthening the dental workforce by helping states recruit, retain, and prepare the next generation of providers.
Workforce Ambassador Program
Member dentists and state society leaders work together to address dental workforce shortages.
Advocacy in action
Newly passed Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact will allow licensed dentists and dental hygienists to practice in any other participating state. Find out how licensure portability will benefit dentistry at www.ddhcompact.org.
- ADA Opposition to ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force model legislation on dental therapy (PDF)
- Gaining momentum: License portability on the horizon
- Kansas becomes 6th state to join Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact
- Virginia becomes 5th state to join compact
- Wisconsin passes bills to improve dental workforce
- Legislative Summit held to discuss Dental and Dental Hygienist Compact
- Number of bills moving in state legislatures on Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact
- June 23, 2026 — ADA supports Senate bill aimed at expanding dental team training
- June 2, 2026 — Federal funding sparks new dental workforce in underserved communities
- November 5, 2025 — Coalition Letter to Congressional Appropriators in Support of FY2026 Funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). (PDF)
- October 10, 2025 — Letter to Senator Sanders on the Health Care Workforce Expansion Act and Improving Outcomes in Rural and Health Professional Shortage Areas. (PDF)
- October 8, 2025 — ODC Letter to CIS on H-1B Visa Guidance. (PDF)
- October 2, 2025 — Letter to CIS on H-1B Visa Reforms. (PDF)
- August 19, 2025 — Coalition Letter - Reauthorization of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII Health Professions and Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs. (PDF)
- July 15, 2025 — ADA letter to House Subcommittee on Health, Energy and Commerce Committee on "Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines." (PDF)
- March 18, 2025 — 2025 Coalition Letter Supporting Dr. Lorna Breen Reauthorization Act. (PDF)
- March 10, 2025 — Letter to U.S. House of Representatives on Introduction the Action for Dental Health Act of 2025. (PDF)
- February 5, 2025 — Letter to the House Ways and Means Committee on Tax. (PDF)
- January 15, 2025 — Welcome Letter to Members of the 119th Congress (PDF).
- December 18, 2024 — Letter to Congressional Leadership Supporting Dental Workforce Funding in the 2024 Continuing Resolution (PDF)
- December 5, 2024 — Coalition Letter to Congress Expressing Support for the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act (PDF)
- May 16, 2024 — ADA statement for the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing. (PDF)
- July 15, 2024 — Thank you and support letter for S.4031, the Providing Resources and Opportunities for Health Education and Learning (PRO-HEAL) Act. (PDF)
- April 24, 2024 — Letter thanking Chairwoman Foxx, of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce for introducing and advancing H.R. 6655, the A Stronger Workforce for America Act. (PDF)
- April 2, 2024 — Coalition letter to Congress expressing support for the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Assistance Act. (PDF)
- March 14, 2024 — Letter of support for HR 1310, the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act. (PDF)
- March 13, 2024 — Letter in response to a Request for Information (RFI) from the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The RFI is to the health care community regarding the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). (PDF)
- March 4, 2024 — Letter thanking House leadership for bringing H.R. 3843, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2023 to the floor for a vote. (PDF)
- February 19, 2024 — Coalition letter to Senate leadership expressing support for some of the small business tax policies that are included in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, which was recently passed by the House. (PDF)
- January 24, 2024 — Letter to Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. (PDF)
- January 19, 2024 — Letter thanking House and Senate chairs of Ways and Means and Finance Committees on tax extenders legislation. (PDF)
- December 11, 2023 — Letter sent to Congress supporting H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. (PDF)
- October 2, 2023 — Letter expressing support for S. 2891, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2023. (PDF)
- October 24, 2023 — Letter urging the House Ways and Means Committee members to advance or introduce several ADA-supported, tax-related bills to help alleviate dental team shortages and student loan debt. (PDF)
- October 2, 2023 — Letter expressing support for S. 2891, the Action for Dental Health Act of 2023. (PDF)
- September 27, 2023 — Coalition letter urging members of Congress to cosponsor S. 722/H.R. 1477, the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act. (PDF)
- September 19, 2023 — Letter expressing ADA support for the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act. (PDF)
- September 18, 2023 — Letter to Congress expressing support for H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. (PDF)
- July 24, 2023 — Letter to Senator Sanders on the Primary Care and Health Workforce Expansion Act. (PDF)
- July 18, 2023 — Letter sent to the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee expressing support for H.R. 3843, which would reauthorize the Action for Dental Health (ADH) program for a five-year period, from 2024 to 2028. (PDF)
- June 29, 2023 — Letter from 20 health care organizations led by the American Dental Association urging Congress to take action on the health care workforce shortages. (PDF)
- June 23, 2023 — Letter to Senator Tim Kaine thanking him for sponsoring the Rural Health Workforce Pathway Act, which would encourage students in rural areas to become health professionals. (PDF)
- June 8, 2023 — Letter asking the House leadership to bring H.R. 3561, the Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency Act (PATIENT Act), to the floor for a vote. (PDF)
- June 8, 2023 — Letter in support of H.R. 3843, which would reauthorize the Action for Dental Health Act. (PDF)
- May 17, 2023 — Statement for the Record submitted to the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health. (PDF)
- May 9, 2023 — Letter to members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. (PDF)
- April 21, 2023 — Support letter for HR 2559, The Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023. (PDF)
- April 18, 2023 — Letter in support of H.R. 2569, the Doctors of Community Act (DOC Act). (PDF)
- March 24, 2023 — Letter asking Congress to fund the Public Health Loan Repayment Program and the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program. (PDF)
Contact Us
Government and Public Affairs
Washington Office
202.898.2400
Email: govtpol@ada.org
202.898.2400
Email: govtpol@ada.org
State Government Affairs
312.440.2525
Email: govtpol@ada.org
American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC)
202.898.2424
Email: adpac@ada.org
Media Relations
Journalists may contact the media relations department at:
Media Relations
312.440.2806
Email: mediarelations@ada.org