AAE Advocacy Highlights the Significance of Endodontics in Meeting with CMS Chief Dental Officer
AAE Advocacy staff met with Natalia Chalmers, DDS, MHSc, PhD, the first Chief Dental Officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and her team. The discussion centered on potential partnerships to enhance patient access to oral health care and strengthen the link between oral and systemic health.
The AAE provided an overview of its ongoing work, including educational campaigns aimed at lawmakers and the public about the importance of saving their natural teeth. The AAE emphasized its advocacy efforts at both state and federal levels to increase access to endodontic treatments for all patient populations, and expressed appreciation for recent state Medicaid expansions that cover root canal treatments. Staff also highlighted its recent support for CMS’ final rules that expanded adult dental coverage on the ACA exchanges and dental coverage for Medicare patients with cancer and cardiac interventions.
Dr. Chalmers and her team were well acquainted with the work of our specialty, thanks to Lorel Burns, DDS, AAE District II Director, who recently completed her fellowship a CMS Oral Health Policy Fellow working alongside Dr. Chalmers’ team. The entire CMS team on the call recognized Dr. Burns for her strong work ethic and research skills that supported further the Agency’s oral health initiatives.
The meeting group also discussed the new CMS proposed rule released on July 10, which expands Medicare coverage for dental services for Medicare patients with end-stage renal disease. The Agency is also seeking stakeholder feedback on potential connections between improved health outcomes from dental services and the treatment of diabetes, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, and other autoimmune diseases. The AAE plans to submit comments articulating its support for the continued recognition by the federal government of the link between oral and overall health and the expanded coverage of oral health. Additionally, the AAE will articulate the importance of fair reimbursement of dentists in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure meaningful participation by dental providers to ensure continued patient access to our nation’s most vulnerable patient populations.
The AAE looks forward to ongoing collaboration with Dr. Chalmers and CMS to improve patient access to dental care and reinforce the connection between oral and systemic health.