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Official Statement from American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD)

AAPHD opposes Department of Education’s Proposed Definition of “Professional Degree Programs"

December 15, 2025

The American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) strongly opposes the Department of Education’s preliminary proposal—developed during the recent RISE Committee Session 2—to exclude public health degrees from the federal definition of “professional degree programs” under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

This exclusion is both alarming and unacceptable. For decades, the Master of Public Health (MPH), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and related public health–focused dental degrees have been recognized as essential professional credentials that prepare practitioners to protect, promote, and advance the health of communities. Public health dentistry is an integral part of the broader public health workforce, addressing disease prevention, oral health equity, and population-level interventions that directly impact overall health outcomes.

At a time when the nation continues to face widening health disparities, rising oral disease burdens, and systemic challenges intensified by recent public health emergencies, excluding public health degrees from the professional degree category is short-sighted and detrimental to the nation’s health infrastructure. Public health— including public health dentistry—requires advanced professional training grounded in science, policy, management, and leadership. To ignore this reality is to overlook the very workforce responsible for safeguarding the health of populations.

The implications of this proposal are profound. By jeopardizing students’ access to higher federal loan limits, the policy threatens to make public health education less attainable. Such barriers will narrow and weaken the pipeline of future public health dental leaders at a moment when the country urgently needs more skilled professionals trained to address complex oral health challenges and advance health equity in underserved communities.

AAPHD urges the Department of Education to reconsider this proposal and include all public health degrees within the definition of “professional degree programs.” We also encourage our academic partners, members, and the wider public health community to actively participate in the forthcoming public comment period following the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

We stand firmly with our colleagues across the public health disciplines in asserting that public health education is not optional—it is foundational to the nation’s health, resilience, and preparedness.

AAPHD will continue to advocate vigorously for a definition that appropriately recognizes the vital role of public health and public health dentistry within the professional healthcare landscape.

AAPHD Foundation Scholarships & Grant Applications Being Accepted through February 2!

December EDI Corner: Debt, Diversity, and Dentistry: How Federal Loan Caps Could Reshape Our Workforce

Special Issue for JPHD

Title: Sexual and Gender Minority Oral Health: Advancing Equity and Inclusion

Guest Editors: Fabio Leite and Tamanna Tiwari

Call description: We invite the submission of original research, brief reports, methods papers, reviews, and perspectives that advance understanding of LGBTQIA+ (sexual and gender minority) oral health, with particular attention to population-level disparities and intersectionality. Manuscripts may address, but are not limited to: measurement and reporting of sexual orientation and gender identity in surveys and clinical records; patient-experience outcomes (including dignity and discrimination); innovations in education and training; community-engaged and participatory research; health services and delivery models (coverage, benefits, teledentistry, workforce development); implementation science and quality improvement; ethical considerations and inclusive terminology; and global perspectives, including those from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Abstract submission: Add a title and author names and affiliations. Abstract should be 250 words consisting of four paragraphs, labeled Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. These sections should describe the problem being addressed in the study, how the study was performed, the salient results (without statistical tests), and what the authors conclude from the results. Submit the abstract to JPHD Abstract Submission

Send your queries to: [email protected]; [email protected]

Key Dates:

• Call for Abstracts: October 15, 2025
• Abstracts due: January 6, 2026
• Full-manuscript invitations: up to February 5, 2026
• Manuscripts due: until June 1, 2026
These are the final deadlines, but reviews and invitations will proceed on a rolling basis—so early submissions are encouraged.

To keep momentum strong, we’ll begin reviews as soon as proposals are received and reviewers confirmed, ensuring that accepted papers move promptly to the editorial team for publication.

Contact: Fabio Leite - [email protected]

Tamanna Tiwari – [email protected]

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Issues a Warning Against Use of Fluoride Supplement in Children Under Age 3

The FDA released a statement on October 31, 2025 outlining actions to restrict the use of “ingestible fluoride prescription drug products” for children under age three. The American Association of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) issued a statement in response, citing potential impacts on caries prevention and concerns about the unsubstantiated rationale for this action, as well as affirming support for evidence-based guidelines for fluoride supplement use. See AAPD’s full statement here. American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) strongly endorses the AAPD’s response to this recent FDA action.

Inaugural DPH Student Symposium Held at WesternU CDM Draws Regional Participation and National Recognition

Pomona, California – October 18, 2025 — The American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) held its inaugural Dental Public Health (DPH) Student Symposium at the Western University of Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine (WesternU CDM). The landmark event drew 84 attendees from three states and five universities, uniting future dental professionals under the theme: “Creating Pathways in Dental Public Health While Making a Difference.”

This full-day symposium, organized and hosted by the AAPHD Student Chapter at WesternU CDM and generously underwritten by both the AAPHD Foundation and the California Dental Association Foundation, provided students and emerging professionals with valuable insight into careers in dental public health, health equity, and leadership.

The agenda featured two dynamic panel discussions, two targeted presentations, and a nationally recognized keynote speaker, offering diverse perspectives and lived experiences from leaders in the field. The event spotlighted the real-world applications of public health in dentistry and emphasized the urgent need for innovation, compassion, and inclusion in the profession.

Speakers and panelists included:

MC:
Dr. Marisa Watanabe, DDS, MS, FIDC - WesternU CDM Associate Dean for Community Partnerships and Access to Care

Presenter:
Alicia Gordon, BA, Co-Presidents AAPHD Student Chapter at WesternU CDM
 
Moderators:            
Dr. Anna Chandsawangbhuwana, DDS  - WesternU CDM Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Krystle Rapisura, DMD, MS, FAAPD – WesternU CDM Assistant Dean for Community Patient Care

Panelists:                
Dr. Paula Ortega-Verdugo, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., Assistant Professor at UCLA School of Dentistry
Dr. Christina Demopoulos, DDS, MPH, Professor/Associate Dean at UNLV School of Dental Medicine
Dr. Abhi Thakkar, DDS, FICD, FACD, FPFA, Dental Director at Camarena Health
Dr. Arlet Arratonian, DDS, Chief Dental Officer at ParkTree Community Health Center

Seminar Speaker:
Dr. Jennifer Holtzman DDS, MPH,  Interim Executive Director at The Center for Oral Health 

Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Brian Novy, FACD, FADI, FICD.  

These distinguished professionals shared their journeys and expertise, inspiring attendees to consider the many impactful roles available in public health dentistry—from community-based care to academic leadership and policy advocacy.

The symposium marked a significant step in fostering collaboration among institutions and reinforcing the importance of public health in dental education and practice. The enthusiastic turnout and engaging dialogue underscored a growing momentum among students to integrate public health principles into their future dental careers.

As the first of its kind for AAPHD, this symposium sets a strong precedent for continued investment in student-led public health initiatives. AAPHD and its partners remain committed to empowering the next generation of dental public health leaders through mentorship, education, and community engagement.

 AAPHD Joins in Emergency Call to Action

Philanthropic Investment Needed to Prevent Oral Health Crisis Following Federal Cuts

With federal infrastructure for oral health facing significant cuts, we stand at a pivotal moment. What may appear as a setback is also an unprecedented opportunity for philanthropy to lead. To capture this moment, the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA), the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD), and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD) have issued a Call to Action (attached) that outlines how philanthropic leadership can strengthen prevention, workforce, research, and systems-building in ways that will shape the future of oral and overall health.

Your voice and platform are essential in ensuring this message reaches far and wide. We humbly ask for your support in amplifying the Call to Action by:

• Sharing the Call to Action across your networks and communications channels.
• Highlighting the opportunities it presents for philanthropy to fill critical gaps and accelerate innovation.
• Engaging your partners in conversations about how collective action can sustain and expand oral health progress.

By raising awareness together, we can ensure that funders, policymakers, and health leaders recognize both the urgency and opportunity of this moment. Amplification will help mobilize resources and secure the partnerships needed to protect decades of progress—and build the next generation of solutions for prevention and care. See below for the Call to Action!

Read the Full Call to Action

 AAPHD Awards - Call for Nominations

There is no greater acknowledgement than that which comes from our peers. Please help the AAPHD Awards Committee select the recipients for its 2026 Awards Winners. We are seeking nominations for four awards:

• Distinguished Service Award - Presented to a member of AAPHD for excellent and distinguished service to public health dentistry and the association. Nominations due January 23, 2026
• Public Service Award - Presented to an individual for substantial contribution through action related to public health dentistry issues. Nominations due January 23, 2026

You can find the specifics of each award on our website. Nominations should be sent to the AAPHD National Office at [email protected]. 

Please visit the website to see a list of past award recipients.