FROM ASDA
Introducing ASDA Advocacy Fast Facts
There's a lot going on in the world today. ASDA's Council on Advocacy has made it easier than ever to get caught up on all things advocacy with a new series of Fast Fact Videos. Watch them on their own or as a supplement to Advocacy Brief. With 26 days to the election, our first Fast Fact Video comes at the perfect time. Tune in to see what's at stake this November.
New Advocacy How-to Guide released
Zoom fatigue making your events feel uninspired? Download ASDA's revamped Advocacy How-To Guide. It includes options to turn traditional advocacy events virtual and provides updated information on how to host voter registration drives, debates as well as social events with an advocacy twist.
Register for ASDA's upcoming Advocacy webinar
As we gear up for the election (and Advocacy Month), you may be wondering how the outcomes will affect you as a dental student. It's important to understand how the election may influence current issues that dental students face like student debt, midlevel providers, and barriers to care.
 
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. CST.

What are you planning for Advocacy Month?
During Advocacy Month, chapters are encouraged to host advocacy-specific events.  Complete this online form by Oct. 27 for your event to be displayed on the national ASDA Advocacy Month calendar. We look forward to sharing and celebrating what you're organizing. 
Advocacy Event Spotlights: Virtual Voter Registration Drives
Stop reinventing the advocacy wheel. Rather than plan an event from scratch, learn from the leaders that have planned successful advocacy events at other chapters.
Louisville
Students were encouraged to register to vote, then went to the website vote.org to confirm their registration. They saved a screenshot of the confirmation page into a Google document and were entered to win a gift card. Anyone who had been previously registered to vote could still confirm their registration and participate. This was a great way to ensure that all students were registered to vote and informed about the upcoming election in November.
 
Missouri-Kirksville
Students who registered to vote (or provided proof that they were previously registered) were entered into a raffle for prizes. Virtual engagement has been difficult for this chapter, but leaders were happy with the response and the awareness the event created about the importance of voting as a civic duty.

Creighton 
During September, Creighton ASDA had a sponsored raffle for students who submitted proof of voter registration (with an incentive for extra raffle entries for entering Mile-a-Day Challenge steps). The chapter combined an important advocacy event with a national wellness initiative during a month where we were asked to keep all events virtual.
ASDA supports transparency in insurance-related issues

On Sept. 22, ASDA along with 13 other dental organizations signed on to a letter offering continued full support of the Transparency in Dental Benefits Contracting model act being considered by the Health Insurance and Long Term Care Issues committee.
FROM Washington
House passes Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act

The issue: On Sept. 21, the House of Representatives passed the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act. The bill amends the McCarran-Ferguson Act (passed into law in 1945) to authorize the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department to enforce the full range of federal antitrust laws against health insurance companies engaged in anticompetitive conduct. The bill now needs to be considered by the Senate.

Why is it important? ASDA and the ADA have advocated for passage of this bill since 2018. Passage of antitrust reform would help inject more competition into the insurance marketplace by authorizing greater federal antitrust enforcement in instances where state regulators fail to act. Promoting lower prices, greater consumer choice, and increased innovation through robust competition is the role of the antitrust laws. When competition is not robust, consumers are more likely to face higher prices and less likely to benefit from innovation and variety in the marketplace.
FROM the States
States continue to address licensing requirements during the pandemic 
 
The issue: States are responding to concerns about professionals not able to receive licensure during this time. Please see below for an update on states that have taken action.
 

Alaska - On Aug. 7, the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners approved  repealing patient-based periodontics testing, allowing testing to include an OSCE exam, and allowing for a mannequin-based exam if taken before Dec. 31, 2020.
Nevada - On Sept. 15, the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners voted to accept the use of the manikin-based CompeDont tooth ADEX exam for temporary unrestricted dental licensure valid through Dec. 31, 2020.

DC - On Sept. 18, the District of Columbia Department of Health released emergency and proposed rules that allow the acceptance of nonpatient-based clinical examinations. The rules limit acceptance to those administered by ADEX, and eliminate a mandate requiring dentists to complete a periodontal examination.

Florida - On Aug. 14, State Surgeon General Scott A. Rivkees extended the provisions of Emergency Order 20-008 through Nov. 30, 2020, which suspend provisions that prohibit the use of mannequins or simulated patients in lieu of live patients.


Why is this important? ASDA advocacy efforts have been critical during this uncertain time. Several of those states have announced changes to the licensure requirements for 2020 that align with ASDA's requests. It is important for you to stay involved in ASDA to ensure that lawmakers and regulatory agencies continue to meet the needs of dental students.
Delaware adds adult dental benefit to Medicaid
 
The issue: On Oct. 1, adults enrolled in Medicaid started to automatically receive dental coverage in Delaware. Coverage includes exams, cleanings, fillings, sedation and regular tooth extractions. It will cover up to $1,000 of dental care per year. Coverage was supposed to start in April but was delayed due to the pandemic.

Why is this important? As listed in ASDA's H-2 policy, the association supports evidence-based measures that are efficacious and sustainable in reducing barriers to care in underserved communities. These measures include, but are not limited to, early intervention, Medicaid expansion and co-location of health services.
 
Advocacy Brief shares news about ongoing issues and legislation that are of interest to dental students and organized dentistry. Inclusion of items does not imply their adherence to ASDA policy.