Why It Matters

The American Dental Association reported $243,780 in lobbying disclosure records for the first quarter of 2026, continuing a sustained in-house federal advocacy operation that has tracked dental coverage, workforce policy, and insurance oversight for years. The filing, signed May 4, 2026, lists eight in-house lobbyists but does not specify the issues or legislation they worked on during the quarter.

The ADA's lobbying activity comes at a moment when federal dental policy faces pressure on multiple fronts. Medicaid dental coverage gains made in recent years could be vulnerable to federal rule changes, the Medicare Advantage dental benefit market has drawn scrutiny over transparency and quality, and dental school workforce pipelines face uncertainty tied to immigration and student loan policy. The ADA's sustained lobbying presence reflects an effort to protect and advance gains across all of these areas simultaneously.

By the Numbers

The first-quarter 2026 in-house filing of $243,780 represents a decline from the fourth quarter of 2025, when the ADA's in-house team reported $350,000. It is also well below the $420,000 reported for the first quarter of 2025, making this the lowest in-house quarterly figure in at least two years.

This is one of several lobbying disclosure filings the ADA made this quarter. Two outside firms also filed on the ADA's behalf for the first quarter of 2026:

  • Smith-Free Group LLC filed a report covering healthcare provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Medicare supplemental benefits, education-related provisions, and oral health in military dental treatment facilities.
  • Nickles Group LLC filed a report covering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's pass-through business provisions, FSA/HSA coverage for oral health products, workforce shortages, access to dental services, community water fluoridation, and the Action for Dental Health Act of 2025.
  • American Capitol Group LLC filed a termination notice this quarter, ending that firm's engagement with the ADA.

The ADA has been a consistent and longstanding lobbying presence. Looking back across the past year, the in-house team alone has reported more than $2.5 million in lobbying expenditures across four filings. The second quarter of 2025 in-house filing stood out at $1,660,000, a figure that significantly skews the historical total.

The eight in-house lobbyists listed in this quarter's filing are Matt Rossetto, Jennifer Fisher, Nick Cargas, Chad Olson, Jim Schulz Jr., Bob Burns, Natalie Hales, and David Linn. Congressional staff records show that several members of the team have prior Hill experience. David Linn previously served as a Deputy Press Secretary for Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). Natalie Hales served as Legislative Director for Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) and as a Legislative Correspondent for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Jim Schulz Jr. interned for Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).

The Agenda

The first-quarter 2026 in-house filing does not list any specific issues or legislation. That is a departure from prior quarters, when the in-house team disclosed detailed policy agendas.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the in-house team disclosed lobbying on FY26 appropriations for dentistry and oral health, dental faculty pipeline impacts tied to H-1B immigration policy, Medicaid strengthening, health care workforce expansion, FSA/HSA eligibility for oral health products, Indian Health Service appropriations, National Defense Authorization Act provisions on military dental facilities, Medicare Advantage supplemental dental benefits, tariffs on dental medical devices and supplies, FDA policy on ultra-processed foods, and HIPAA cybersecurity compliance.

In the third quarter of 2025, the in-house team covered similar ground, with specific legislation including the POST GRAD Act, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Health Care Workforce Expansion Act of 2025, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, and the Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act.

Because the current filing leaves the issues field blank, it is not possible to confirm which of these areas remained active during the first quarter of 2026.

Broader Context

Congressional lobbying activity and broader policy developments provide a relevant backdrop for the ADA's continued engagement. Several developments from the past year are worth noting.

On Medicaid, the ADA's Organized Dentistry Coalition urged CMS earlier this year not to prohibit adult dental coverage as an essential health benefit in proposed benefit and payment parameters, according to ADA News. The ADA had previously highlighted that at least 15 states adopted significant Medicaid changes for dental care in 2025.

On Medicare Advantage, the ADA has raised concerns about the wide variation in dental benefits advertised by MA plans versus what is actually delivered to beneficiaries. The ADA submitted formal comments to CMS on proposed rule changes for Contract Year 2026.

On student loans, the ADA joined a coalition in March 2026 urging the Department of Education to adjust the implementation timeline for major federal student loan changes that could affect dental students and graduate learners, according to ADA News. The REDI Act, which would allow dental and medical residents to defer federal loan interest during residency, had secured 80 bipartisan cosponsors in 2025.

On appropriations, the ADA sent a joint letter to House and Senate appropriations leaders in April 2026 calling for increased investment in oral health programs, workforce training, and research, according to ADA News.

Member communications also reflect active engagement. Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) posted in March 2026 about meeting with the ADA. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) noted in April 2026 that a South Dakota dentist affiliated with the ADA stopped by to discuss issues affecting the profession and patients. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) introduced legislation in May 2025 requiring the EPA to publish an independent study when proposing updated water fluoridation guidance, with the ADA publicly endorsing the bill.

The Bottom Line

The ADA is a well-established player in congressional lobbying, with a broad and consistent policy agenda covering Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, workforce, appropriations, and insurance regulation. The first-quarter 2026 in-house filing shows lower spending than recent quarters and discloses no specific issues, making it harder to follow the money on exactly where the organization's advocacy was focused. The outside firms filing on the ADA's behalf this quarter provide more detail on the active legislative fronts. The termination of American Capitol Group's engagement is a modest change in the ADA's lobbying structure, but the overall operation remains intact.

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