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Webinar to discuss what you need to know about licensure
Join us on November 13 at 7 p.m. CST where we will be discussing the basic requirements to receive your license. Hear from past ASDA national leaders share how they navigated the licensure process and share their tips and tricks. Whether you’re a D1 just getting started, or a D4 gearing up for your clinical exam, you’re sure to walk away with an action plan.
Register here.
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Sneak peek: Advocacy Month challenges and texts
Advocacy Month is right around the corner. November will be filled with challenges sent via our text alert system, ASDA Action. Get ready for Advocacy Month by signing up for texts so you can participate in the challenges and win.
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Don't miss NLC's advocacy session
If you’ll be joining us at NLC in Chicago, don’t miss the session on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m.: Advocacy: The Insurance You Never Knew You Needed.
This session will simplify and demystify the word “advocacy,” and allow attendees to walk away with easy, actionable steps to advocate in the classroom and on Capitol Hill.
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ASDA President cited in student debt press release
On Sept. 26, ASDA was listed as an endorsing organization when H.R. 5710, the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill would provide debt relief in a number of ways including: Allowing students to refinance their student loan interest rates, eliminating origination fees, delaying student loan interest rate accrual for low-income and middle-class borrowers in school, allowing borrowers in residency to defer payments until completion of the program, and providing for the elimination of interest capitalization.
Shafa Nathani, 2023-24 ASDA national president shared, “My support of this bill is rooted in my personal experiences and those that my fellow colleagues have been kind enough to share with me. Our dentists are unwavering in their efforts to serve and advocate for their respective communities, and it is our duty to offer them the same level of support.”
These flexibilities will help the 83% of dental school grads with educational debt.
Why does it matter? Student debt is one of ASDA’s top legislative priorities. Our F-4 policy supports initiatives like the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act to help reduce the burden of debt.
Did you catch our August webinar exploring repayment and refinancing options? If not, check out the recording here!
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Advocacy Brief Challenge
In alignment with ASDA’s F-4 student debt policy, ASDA supports various efforts to reduce the burden of student debt. What is the name of the student debt bill for which ASDA was listed as a supporting organization when it was introduced on September 26, 2023?
The first 5 people to email advocacydept@ASDAnet.org with the correct answer will win.
By the way, did you get the heads-up text about this challenge? Make sure you are signed up for text alerts to stay updated on ASDA’s advocacy initiatives, challenges and more.
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Federal Trade Commission warns borrowers as loan payments resume
As reported in the September issue of Advocacy Brief, interest on student loans resumed accruing as of September 1. Now, payments have resumed for millions of borrowers as well. The government’s unprecedented pause on federal student loan payments during the COVID-19 pandemic is officially over, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning borrowers to be wary of scammers. These fraudsters may try to mislead borrowers by offering to help. Two tips to avoid falling victim: don’t give away your FSA ID login, and don’t trust people who promise relief even if they claim to be from the U.S. Department of Education. The FTC says the best source of information is the Federal Student Aid website, www.studentaid.gov.
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Student to Service Loan Repayment Program applications open
Applications are now open for the National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program. If you are a D4, you can apply to receive up to $120,000 in loan repayment assistance for committing to provide three years of service in a Health Professional Shortage Area. Applications close Dec. 7, 2023. Learn more.
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Montana nonprofit promotes dental care in underserved areas
Smiles Across Montana is bringing dental care to underserved areas through its new mobile dentistry unit. The organization strives to demonstrate how oral health contributes to overall health and is working to integrate oral health into primary care. With the help of grants, Smiles Across Montana is able to provide more dental services to people in rural communities and those without insurance.
Why does it matter? ASDA’s H-1 Student Involvement to Address Barriers to Care policy encourages students to participate in initiatives like Smiles Across Montana in efforts to impact the oral health of the public through projects, education, internships, externships, and outreach to underserved populations.
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Interested in learning more? ASDA hosted a webinar earlier this year with alum Dr. Alex Otto, 2012-23 ASDA national Vice President, featuring her work developing a nonprofit mobile unit that travels throughout Texas. Watch the recording here. | | | |
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State updates in Medicaid
Medicaid is the nation’s largest single source of coverage for health care in the U.S. It is a joint program on both the federal and state levels that provides health coverage for over 85.6 million people in the U.S. There are certain groups of individuals that states must cover, as required by the federal government.
However, states also have the option to cover additional groups of people or services. This is called expanding Medicaid coverage.
States are required to provide dental benefits to children covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but states choose whether to provide dental benefits for adults. While most states provide at least emergency dental services for adults, less than half of the states provide comprehensive dental care.
Here are some state updates in Medicaid:
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North Carolina: After nearly 7 years of efforts, expansion in the state will begin December 1. The expansion will provide coverage to as many as 600,000 residents. Until now, North Carolina has been one of only 11 states that had not expanded Medicaid coverage at all. | |  |
Minnesota: After budget cuts in 2009 left adults on Medicaid in Minnesota without any dental benefits, the state has successfully adopted legislation to resume expanding adult dental Medicaid benefits in the new year. New state laws will ensure that dentists have more control over insurance agreements. | | |
Texas: Children comprise 80% of the roughly 900,000 people in Texas who have lost Medicaid coverage since redeterminations began in April, which is the highest rate among states that report disenrollment data by age. As reported in the July issue of Advocacy Brief, over 1 million people were disenrolled from Medicaid, many of which were due to “procedural reasons.” Schools in Texas are working to fill the gaps in health care, and families are relying on community health centers, emergency departments, or delaying care. | | |
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Michigan: Officials recently announced that the state will end a policy requiring children and pregnant people with permanent residence immigration status to live in the US for five years before they are eligible for Medicaid coverage. The state’s recently enacted budget included over $26 million to implement the change, which is expected to provide coverage to nearly 3,000 children. Thirty-three other states have also waived the five-year waiting period.
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Why does it matter? ASDA’s H-2 Evidence-Based Solutions for Barriers to Care policy supports evidence-based measures that are efficacious and sustainable in reducing barriers to care in underserved populations, including, but not limited to, Medicaid expansion.
What can you do? Send a letter to your legislator supporting the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act. This legislation ensures that all adults on Medicaid have access to comprehensive dental care by making adult dental benefits a requirement of all state Medicaid programs. The letter is pre-drafted, so all you need to do is enter your information and click Send!
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