Testimony, Statements & Letters
Below is a sample of AADOCR correspondence with policymakers in Congress and the Administration about how policies and proposals impact our members and the fields of dental, oral, and craniofacial research.
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AADOCR Statement for Senate Hearing on Biomedical Research | April 2025
Statement included in the public record for the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing “Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation"AADOCR Statement on Devastating HHS Job Cuts | April 2025
Statement in response to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) mass layoffs of the federal health workforce, including at NIHFY 2026 Appropriations Oral Health Community Letter | March 2025
Letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriators requesting sustained funding in fiscal year 2026 for dental research and vital federal oral health programsStatement Calling on the NIH to Withdraw New Indirect Costs Guidance | February 2025
Statement in response to supplemental guidance from the NIH Director cutting reimbursement of indirect costs to 15% on all NIH awardsStatement on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS Secretary Nomination | February 2025
Statement opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)Letter re: Trump Administration Executive Orders and Other Actions | January 2025
Letter to AADOCR members about the new Administration’s Executive Orders on DEI programs, racial equity, withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), and freezes on HHS/NIH communications, travel, and federal grants. -
NIH Reform Framework Comment Letter | August 2024
Letter opposing a plan, proposed by a U.S. House committee chair, to impose broad structural and policy reforms to the NIH, including a reorganization of the agency
Next Generation Cures Comment Letter | August 2024
Letter to U.S. representatives in response to their Request for Information on how to best construct legislation (“Cures 2.0”) that builds upon the now expired 21st Century Cures Act
Statement on FY 2025 House Labor-HHS Spending Bill | July 2024
Statement opposing the House Appropriations Committee’s fiscal year 2025 Labor-HHS spending bill that cuts public and oral health programs and radically restructures the NIH
Senate Testimony Supporting NIH & NIDCR Funding in FY 2025 | May 2024
Testimony submitted to the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health & Human Services Subcommittee urging increased funding for the NIH and NIDCR in fiscal year 2025
FY 2025 Appropriations Dental Community Letter | April 2024
Letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriators requesting increased funding in fiscal year 2025 for dental research and essential federal oral health programs
FY 2025 Military Dental Research Letter | April 2024
Letter requesting increased federal funding in fiscal year 2025 for military dental research conducted at the Department of Defense
Statement on Senate Passage of NIDCR 75th Anniversary Resolution | March 2024
Press release applauding the U.S. Senate for passing a bipartisan resolution (S.Res.605) that commends NIDCR for 75 years of scientific achievements
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FY 2024 Appropriations Conference Dental Community Letter | December 2023
Letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriations leaders urging them to fund federal oral health research and programs at the higher of the two levels proposed in the House and Senate appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024
Menthol Cigarette Rule Comment Letter | December 2023
Letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in support of a proposed product standard prohibiting menthol in cigarettes
Mandy Cohen CDC Congratulatory Letter | July 2023
Letter from AADOCR congratulating Dr. Cohen on her appointment as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
FY 2024 Budget Spending Caps Letter | June 2023
Letter to congressional appropriators expressing concern about the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the impact of mandatory budget cuts on biomedical research
NIDCR 75th Anniversary Resolution Request Letter | June 2023
Letter requesting the introduction of a resolution in the U.S. Senate commemorating the 75th anniversary of the NIDCR
Senate Testimony Supporting NIH & NIDCR Funding in FY 2024 | May 2023
Testimony submitted to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services urging increased funding for the NIH and NIDCR in fiscal year 2024
Comment Letter on NIH Public Access Plan | April 2023
Letter responding to an NIH request for information (RFI) on the agency’s proposed “Plan to Enhance Public Access to the Results of NIH-Supported Research”
FY 2024 Military Dental Research Letter | April 2023
Letter requesting an increased appropriation for military dental research conducted at the Department of Defense in the fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations bill
House Testimony Supporting NIH & NIDCR Funding in FY 2024 | April 2023
Testimony submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services urging increased funding for the NIH and NIDCR in fiscal year 2024
Statement on the Oral Health Crisis in America | March 2023
Statement submitted to the Senate Finance Committee arguing for expanded Medicare and Medicaid coverage of dental services and the overall importance of oral health
FY 2024 Appropriations Dental Community Letter | March 2023
Letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriators requesting increased funding in fiscal year 2024 for dental research and essential federal oral health programs
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FY 2023 Appropriations Conference Dental Community Letter | October 2022
Letter to Senate appropriations leaders urging them to fund federal oral health research and programs at the higher of the two levels proposed in the House and Senate appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023
Comment Letter Supporting Medicare Coverage of Dental Services | September 2022
Letter in support of a proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule that would require Medicare Parts A and B to pay for dental services when they are integral to the medical condition of beneficiariesComment Letter on Expansion of the STEM OPT Program | August 2022
Letter to the Department of Homeland Security requesting the addition of dental degrees to a proposed list of qualifying fields eligible for an extension of the STEM optional practical training (OPT) programHouse Testimony Supporting NIH & NIDCR Funding in FY 2023 | May 2022
Testimony submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services urging increased funding for the NIH and NIDCR in fiscal year 2023
Senate Testimony Supporting NIH & NIDCR Funding in FY 2023 | May 2022
Testimony submitted to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services urging increased funding for the NIH and NIDCR in fiscal year 2023
FY 2023 Appropriations Dental Community Letter | April 2022
Letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriations leaders requesting increased funding in fiscal year 2023 for dental research and essential federal oral health programsStatement on President Biden’s FY 2023 Budget Proposal | March 2022
Statement expressing concern about the impact of President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget on biomedical research and federal oral health programsBob Valdez AHRQ Congratulatory Letter | February 2022
Letter congratulating Dr. Bob Valdez on his appointment as the new director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) -
AADR Fiscal Year 2022 Outside Witness Testimony
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies | May 17, 2021
Submission to the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee outlining requests for fiscal year 2022Letter to Urging Swift Release of the 2020 Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health | May 5, 2021
Letter from the oral health community to U.S. Surgeon General Murthy requesting swift review and publication of the 2020 Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health -
Thank You Letter: Saving the Civil Service Act
Letter | November 11, 2020
Community sign-on letter thanking Majority Leader Hoyer and Reps. Connolly and Maloney for introducing the “Saving the Civil Service Act” to reverse the “Executive Order on Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service”.Department of Homeland Security Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Duration of Status
Proposed Rule | October 2020
Comments to DHS in response to establishing a fixed time period of admission and an extension of stay procedure for nonimmigrant academic students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign information media.Letter Re: Expanding Authorization for Dental Professionals to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine
Letter | September 2020
Letter urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Giroir to expand authorization for dental professionals to order and administer the COVID-19 vaccine, once it becomes available.Health Professional Shortage Area Scoring Criteria
Request for Information | September 18, 2020
Comments and suggestions on the dental health HPSA. Specific reference to community water fluoridation factor and the addition of sugar sweetened beverages.Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
Request for Comments | August 13, 2020
Comments and suggestions on the 2020 Scientific Report which will be used to inform the scientific foundation of the Dietary Guidelines. Comments provided by AADR were geared towards the Dental Health section of the ReportLetter to Congressional Leadership Re: Needs of Dental Research Community
Letter | May 2020
Joint letter from AADR, ADA and ADEA to congressional leaders calling attention to the needs of the dental research community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and to request federal research relief.Letter to Congressional Leadership on COVID-19 Intervention Legislation
Letter | March 2020
Letter from IADR and AADR to congressional leadership requesting that associations, including non-profit groups and other tax-exempt associations, be included in any federal legislation supporting industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Office of Science and Technology Policy Review of Public Access to Research Outputs Resulting From Federally Funded Research
Request for Information | March 24, 2020
Comments from IADR/AADR on the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s RFI on public access to peer-reviewed scholarly publications resulting from federally funded scientific researchAADR Fiscal Year 2021 Outside Witness Testimony
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies | March 23, 2020
Submission to the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee outlining requests for fiscal year 2021Office of Science and Technology Policy RFI on the American Research Environment
Request for Information | January 28, 2020
AADR’s comments on the steps federal agencies can take to improve the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment -
Letter to Energy & Commerce Committee on Cures 2.0 Vision Document
Letter | December 16, 2019
AADR feedback to policymakers on the future of 21st Century Cures, Cures 2.0NIDCR Fiscal Year 2021 Proposed Research Initiatives
Letter | May 28, 2019
AADR’s letter expressing support for reauthorizing the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and recommending ways to preserve and strengthen PCORI and the PCOR Trust FundLetter to Lawmakers Expressing Support for PCORI Reauthorization
Request for input | November 15, 2019Graphic Warnings on Cigarette Packages and Advertisements
Proposed Rule | October 2019National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2025
Request for Information | August 15, 2019
Comments on initiatives, programs, research questions and metrics for five priority areas: 1) oral health + overall health, 2) precision oral health, 3) regenerative medicine, 4) health disparities and 5) diverse workforce.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024
Request for information | July 12, 2019
Comments on cross-cutting scientific themes; disease- and tissue-specific scientific objectives; and management, scientific stewardship, and accountability in draft NIAMS strategic planInstitutional Accountability to Promote Inclusive Excellence
Request for information | June 6, 2019
Planning for NIH Common Fund program to promote diversity of the biomedical research workforce at the faculty levelFluoride in Bottled Water
Proposed Rule | June 3, 2019
To change the allowable level of fluoride in domestically packaged and imported bottled water to 0.7 mg/L in accordance with United States Public Health Service recommendationAADR Fiscal Year 2020 Outside Witness Written Testimony
House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee | April 8, 2019
Submission to the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee for fiscal year 2020Consideration of Pain in the Disability Determination Process
Proposed Rule | February 15, 2019
Proposed rule changes to update Social Security Administration's pain evaluation criteria in determination of disability statusSurgeon General Commissions 2020 Report on Oral Health
Request for Comment | January 25, 2019
Public health developments and scientific advancements in oral health since the 2000 report to inform the upcoming 2020 report on oral healthProposed Objectives for Inclusion in Healthy People 2030
Request for Comment | January 17, 2019
Healthy People 2030 proposed core, developmental and research objectives
