42 U.S.C. § 247d-8 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 42. The Public Health and Welfare § 247d-8. Coordinated program to improve pediatric oral health

(a)In general

The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall establish a program to fund innovative oral health activities that improve the oral health of children under 6 years of age who are eligible for services provided under a Federal health program, to increase the utilization of dental services by such children, and to decrease the incidence of early childhood and baby bottle tooth decay.

(b)Grants

The Secretary shall award grants to or enter into contracts with public or private nonprofit schools of dentistry or accredited dental training institutions or programs, community dental programs, and programs operated by the Indian Health Service (including federally recognized Indian tribes that receive medical services from the Indian Health Service, urban Indian health programs funded under title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, and tribes that contract with the Indian Health Service pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act) to enable such schools, institutions, and programs to develop programs of oral health promotion, to increase training of oral health services providers in accordance with State practice laws, or to increase the utilization of dental services by eligible children.

(c)Distribution

In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, ensure an equitable national geographic distribution of the grants, including areas of the United States where the incidence of early childhood caries is highest.

(d)Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each  1 the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.