42 U.S.C. § 280k–3 — Updating national oral healthcare surveillance activities

(1) PRAMS. (A) In general — The Secretary of Health and Human Services must update and improve the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) so it covers oral health. (B) State reports and mandatory measurements — (i) Starting 5 years after March 23, 2010, and every 5 years after that, each state must report to the Secretary on its PRAMS oral health activities. (ii) The oral health measurements the Secretary sets up for PRAMS are mandatory for states writing these reports. (C) Funding — Congress may spend whatever money is needed for this PRAMS work. (2) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Secretary must add oral health parts to this survey, including "tooth-level surveillance" — a clinical exam checking every surface of every tooth, as expanded by the CDC's Division of Oral Health. The Secretary must update these parts at least every 6 years. (3) Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. The Secretary must make sure this survey, run by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, checks dental spending, use, and coverage data through a "look-back analysis." (4) National Oral Health Surveillance System. (A) Appropriations — Congress may spend whatever money is needed for 2010 through 2014 to grow this system from 16 states to all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C. (B) Requirements — The Secretary must make sure this system measures tooth decay in young children.