Members of Congress are urging federal officials to include primary care physicians and other health practitioners such as dentists in the attempt to increase vaccine distribution throughout the U.S. Bergman said that trusted community leaders like dentists can help overcome vaccine hesitancy and reduce health inequalities.

"As a nation, we have made substantial progress on vaccinations, and we applaud the Administration's focus on health equity," Bergman said in the statement. "Unfortunately, we still see significant lags in vaccination rates, particularly in communities of color, in rural communities, and among the elderly and disabled, all of which face considerable logistical and technological challenges accessing the vaccine."