Recently, dental professionals from across the U.S. gathered in Washington, DC, for the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) Hill Day 2026. This annual advocacy event provides clinicians with a direct platform to engage federal policymakers on issues shaping the future of oral healthcare.
Participating in my first Hill Day as vice president of the Maryland AGD was a meaningful professional experience that offered firsthand exposure to how clinical priorities are translated into federal policy discussions. It was both inspiring and eye-opening, and reinforced that advocacy is an essential part of the profession.
Dr. Lavanya Chadaram.Academy of General Dentistry.
One of the key takeaways was how directly federal legislation affects dentists, dental students, and patient care. Dental students and young dentists deserve to have a voice in shaping the profession's future and should become involved in organized dentistry and future Hill Days.
AGD provided policy briefings and advocacy training to prepare participants on how to communicate clinical realities to policymakers. A key message came from Sequoia Raglan, MPH, a health policy adviser in the office of Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri, who emphasized that policymakers rely heavily on direct input from practitioners to understand issues affecting healthcare delivery.
Meetings with the offices of Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Sarah Elfreth of Maryland further underscored the importance of direct engagement. Congressional staff demonstrated a strong understanding of the issues and played a critical role in translating clinician perspectives into policy discussions. I expected to meet officials focused primarily on larger national issues, but instead found that representatives and staffers were welcoming, engaged, and genuinely interested in our perspectives.
This year’s advocacy priorities focused on three federal initiatives:
- The Action for Dental Health Act (2026–2030), which supports oral health workforce development and access-to-care programs
- The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, which would defer interest accrual during residency and advanced training
- The Improving Dental Insurance Administration Act, which seeks greater transparency and oversight of self-funded dental insurance plans.
The REDI Act generated the strongest response. As someone who personally delayed career opportunities because of financial concerns, I spoke from experience about how educational debt affects not only dentists but also the future availability of oral healthcare providers.
AGD Hill Day made one thing clear: Advocacy is an essential part of modern dentistry. Encouraging early involvement in advocacy and organized dentistry will help build a stronger future for the profession and ensure the next generation of dentists feels confident advocating for both their profession and the communities they serve.
Dr. Lavanya Chadaram is an associate dentist at Lutherville Dental, specializing in comprehensive restorative, surgical, and implant dentistry. With advanced training from the New York University College of Dentistry and the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, she serves the Baltimore County community. Beyond the clinic, Chadaram serves as the vice president of the Maryland Academy of General Dentistry.
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