The One Big Beautiful Bill is Signed into Law

The Senate passed its version of the One Big Beautiful Bill early last week with amendments from members and deletions from the Senate Parliamentarian. On July 3, the House of Representatives voted to adopt the Senate’s amendments. President Trump signed the bill into law on July 4.

The final version of the 870-page law includes sweeping changes to federal student loans and public oral health. In this issue, ASDA is focusing on the student loans provisions. The One Big Beautiful Bill:

Eliminates Grad PLUS loans, which 76% of dental students use, effective July 1
Replaces existing income-based repayment plans with the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). Under RAP, borrowers will pay 1-10% of their income with a minimum monthly payment of $10. Borrowers currently enrolled in the SAVE program have between July 2026 and July 2028 to enroll in RAP or the standard repayment plan.
Caps dental school borrowing at a lifetime limit of $200,000, effective July 1, 2026, for new borrowers. This lowered cap will not apply to students currently in their program of study.

ASDA is continuing to monitor the implementation of the student loan provisions and will keep you updated as we have more information to share. ASDA will report on the provisions of the bill relating to Medicaid, dental education, and public oral health in subsequent issues.

ASDA Advocacy Efforts

Grassroots Advocacy

ASDA members sent a total of 1,674 messages to U.S. Senators and House Members about the OBBB on ASDA Action. 805 of these messages included personal testimony in support of protecting access to student loans.

ASDA Signs onto Coalition Letter Opposing Student Loan Reforms from HELP

On June 24, ASDA joined over 50 healthcare organizations in a coalition letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) expressing concern with language in the One Big Beautiful Bill that would reduce access to higher education, including dental programs. The concerns included a $200,000 lifetime cap for dental programs, elimination of Grad PLUS loans, and eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Read the Letter

ASDA Advocates for PTET Reductions for Small Businesses

On June 9, ASDA and other members of organized dentistry wrote to Congress advocating for small businesses to continue deducting pass-through entity taxes (PTET). The original House version of the One Big Beautiful Bill sought to eliminate these deductions, which would have resulted in a tax hike of 1.5% to 5% for 9 out of 10 dental practices.

Partly due to advocacy from organized dentistry, the final version of the One Big Beautiful Bill does not eliminate PTET reductions for dental practices and other small businesses. This legislative victory is critical for dentists practicing in rural and underserved areas.

Read the Letter

ASDA Launches New Advocacy Webpages

Support for oral health is changing daily. ASDA has updated its webpages for Barriers to Care and Dentistry and Healthcare to closely monitor changes to Medicaid, the Department of Health and Human Services, rural dental programs, and more.

Fluoride Focus

ASDA Urges DoD to Maintain Water Fluoridation on Military Bases

On June 19, ASDA signed onto a coalition letter urging Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to maintain current levels of fluoridated water on overseas military bases. The letter reiterates the safety and importance of water fluoridation. Nearly 64,000 children of Active-Duty Service members abroad benefit from enamel-strengthening fluoride in drinking water.

Read the Letter

Advocates Stop Anti-Fluoride Bill in Louisiana

Organized dentistry and other public health organizations in Louisiana were instrumental in preventing the passage of a fluoride ban in Louisiana. Louisiana Senate Bill 2, which would have banned the addition of fluoride to community water supplies, passed the State Senate in April. The bill failed to pass the House Committee on Health and Welfare with a 4-11 vote after numerous public health officials testified against the bill.

New JAMA Study Highlights Costs of Fluoride Bans

The Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum published a study in late May providing a cost analysis of fluoride bans from public water systems. The study found that a national ban on public fluoridated water would result in a 7.5% increase in tooth decay and $9.8 billion in costs over a five-year period. It also reported that tooth decay would disproportionately affect children on public dental insurance plans.

Learn More

Oklahoma Governor's Executive Order Requires Fluoride Review

On June 26, Governor Kevin Schmitt signed an executive order requiring the Oklahoma State Department of Health to conduct a review of the state’s policies relating to public water fluoridation. The order also mandates an immediate halt to recommending the addition of fluoride in public water systems until the review’s completion. The Department of Health must assess and, if deemed necessary, amend Oklahoma’s fluoride policies within 60 days of the report’s publication.

Read the Executive Order

From the States

Nevada Government Supports New Cleft and Craniofacial Medical Team

Nevada’s state legislature and governor recently allocated over $1.3 million for a new cleft and craniofacial medical team at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine. Upon receiving accreditation, the clinic will aim to serve children with cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies.

Learn More

ASDA is proud to support the passage of the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act in Congress, which would require private health insurance companies to cover the costs of medically necessary treatments and surgery for facial anomalies in children. Read more on ASDA Action.

Licensure Updates

The New York Legislature passed a bill proposing dental hygienists' ability to provide services without supervision if they are in a collaborative practice agreement with a licensed dentist. Read more.
Louisiana became the first state to join the American Association of Dental Boards' Interstate & Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact. Read the press release.

ASDAnet | Dental Student Resources | Get Involved | Publications