The American Dental Association wants to make sure the downsizing of the federal agencies doesn`t hurt the federal government`s efforts on oral-health care. ADA President William Ten Pas says the "reinvention" of government agencies could result in the "erosion of a dental-health focus within the federal bureaucracy." Among the agencies that could be affected are the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Indian Health Service. The ADA currently is negotiating with the federal government over all agency reorganizations that could have an impact on dental services.
Judi Hasson
Washington Correspondent
