Stimulus spending touches some dentists

Mar 26, 2009

Dentists and dental researchers are beginning to find money for their work emerging from several recent U.S. government spending initiatives.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), for example, will see an infusion of $100 million. The money was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to a news report by the ADA, which cited Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D.

The money for dental research is only 1% of the $10 billion that the package promises the National Institutes of Health. Still, it should make a significant difference considering the institute's total budget is less than $400 million.

Smaller amounts are finding their way to dentistry as well.

An earmark in the federal spending bill President Barack Obama signed earlier this month will help the Marshfield Clinic build a dental center in Medford, WI, serving low-income residents of Taylor County, according to the Chicago Tribune.

U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI) secured an earmark in the bill that sets aside $381,000 for the clinic to improve access to dental services in underserved areas, the newspaper reported.

Health clinics elsewhere are rejoicing in a provision of the stimulus bill that provides money to the states to help cover the increase in uninsured patients, according to the Public News Service.

The news service quoted Sharon Ericson of the Valley Community Health Center in Northwood, ND, who said her clinic was applying for money under the program to help dental patients "connect with other services that will help keep them well and healthy."

The stimulus bill sets aside $2 billion to help renovate community health centers.