Oral health advocacy - State-based and federal priorities

摘要

Edelstein's excellent review (1) of the progress made over the past decade in enacting the federal legislation that incorporates support of various oral health programs appropriately focuses on national initiatives that can form the future foundation for state plans, policies, and programs. Edelstein argues that "before these authorizations and funding streams can reach advocates and states, they must be funded by Congress and implemented by federal agencies. For this reason, oral health advocates in the states need to add yet one more action step to their plans: encouraging Congress to prioritize and support the many oral health provisions it has already enacted" (1).