42 U.S.C. § 247b–14 — Oral health promotion and disease prevention

(a) Grants to increase resources for community water fluoridation (1) In general The Secretary, through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may grant states and Indian tribes money to increase resources for community water fluoridation. (2) Use of funds A state must use this money to (A) buy fluoridation equipment, (B) train fluoridation engineers, (C) develop education materials on fluoridation's benefits, or (D) support the infrastructure needed to monitor and maintain water fluoridation quality. (b) Community water fluoridation (1) In general The Secretary, through the CDC Director and working with the Director of the Indian Health Service, must set up a demonstration project to help rural water systems follow the CDC's 1995 fluoridation guidelines, called "Engineering and Administrative Recommendations for Water Fluoridation" (EARWF). (2) Requirements (A) Collaboration The two Directors must make sure tribal programs in all 12 Indian Health Service areas get technical assistance and training, with the Indian Health Service coordinating and supporting the tribes. (B) General use of funds This money must help small water systems improve fluoridation and meet the EARWF recommendations. (C) Fluoridation specialists (i) The Secretary must create fluoridation specialist engineering positions at each Dental Clinical and Preventive Support Center, to train tribal water and utility operators and Indian Health Service staff on fluoridation projects. (ii) Each specialist is the main technical link between the Indian Health Service and the CDC on fluoridation engineering issues. (iii) The CDC Director appoints the specialists. (D) Implementation This project is planned, run, and evaluated over 5 years starting when its funds are appropriated, and must serve as a model for improving water fluoridation in small rural communities. (3) Evaluation The ongoing evaluation from (2)(D) must measure (A) changes in fluoridation compliance from this help, (B) the administrative, technical, and operational challenges unique to small water systems, (C) a practical model other tribal, state, county, or local governments can use, and (D) any increase in the share of Native Americans or Alaska Natives who get optimally fluoridated water. (c) School-based dental sealant program (1) In general The Secretary, through the CDC Director and working with the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, must grant each of the 50 states and territories, and Indians, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations, money to develop school-based dental sealant programs that help children get sealants. (2) Use of funds A state must pass this money on to eligible school-based entities or public schools, so they can give children access to dental care and sealants, delivered by licensed dental professionals following state licensing law. (3) Eligibility To get this money, an entity must (A) apply to the state as required, and (B) be a public school (i) in an urban area where more than half the students are in free or reduced-price meal programs, or (ii) in a rural area whose school district has a median income at or below 235 percent of the poverty line. (d) Oral health infrastructure (1) Cooperative agreements The Secretary, through the CDC Director, must make cooperative agreements with states, territories, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations to build oral health leadership and program guidance, collect and interpret oral health data — including what causes poor oral health in vulnerable populations — build a multi-part oral health delivery system, and run science-based programs, such as dental sealants and community water fluoridation. (2) Authorization of appropriations Whatever money is necessary is authorized for fiscal years 2010 through 2014. (e) Definitions For this section, "Indian tribe" means what section 5304(b) and (c) of title 25 says. (f) Authorization of appropriations Whatever money is necessary is authorized for fiscal years 2001 through 2005.