A “Yes” vote for teledentistry is a continued “vote” of confidence in the service. That’s a take-away from the recent bill passed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifting the ban on teledentistry in Texas.
Those of us in the teledentisty space see this as another door opening to its validation for secure, convenient, and quality patient care.
In this case, the “back-and-forth” dialogue has involved the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners and the Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian legal organization that filed a lawsuit in February challenging examiners ban on teledentistry in Texas.
Dating back to March 2020, the State Board of Dental Examiners declared via court documents that “dentists in Texas are not authorized to practice teledentistry.” [1]
Their guidance basically involved their rule that required “documentation of the findings of tactile and visual examination of the soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity.” [2]
They deemed that “tactile exams” are not possible using remote technology. This was further interpreted as a “ban” on teledentistry - given it’s remote capabilities.
Problems emerged as insurance providers wouldn’t cover diagnostic discoveries acquired by teledentistry providers in Texas.
The bill (HB 2056) takes effect on September 1 (2021). It prevents the Board from banning teledentistry and further aligns it with other relevant telemedicine services.
As directly relates to teledentistry the following highlights clarify the allowances for Texas dentists now that the law has passed:
”The law defines the practice of teledentistry as well as who can perform it. Among other provisions, the law:
These provisions cover many of the broader categories and related questions associated with the Texas teledentistry legislation. Some specifics for Texas providers could require clarification as the law is enacted.
It’s recommended that questions like the following be submitted to the State of Texas medical and dental boards if the law’s details are unclear:
Public health experts confirm the value of teledentistry. One primary benefit highlighted during the pandemic was its ability to put patients in need of emergency dental care more at ease.
Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), one of the bill’s sponsors confirms the big-picture victory the new legislation brings to Texas,
“Teledentistry better connects patients with their dentists by allowing them to offer services beyond the brick and mortar office. By passing this law, more underserved Texans will have better access to preventative dental care and be able to live a healthier life through the care they will receive,…” [4]
It’s common knowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic forced flexibility for patient care. Even so, it also vaulted innovations, like teledentistry and telemedicine, to a front-line solution.
The ADA (American Dental Association) has furthered the value by providing guidance and oversight for those states (now including Texas) to adopt teledentistry as a more mainstream service.
Bottom line: virtual dentistry solutions are here to stay. And the technology innovations around them will continue to evolve.
Keep in mind that teledentistry isn’t a “branch” of dentistry. It’s best to see it as a method for dental care children, adults, and the growing senior adult population.
Providers and patients can expect:
And…
It’s useful to see teledentistry as a robust patient communication platform. The corrolary opportunities can be expanded beyond its initial use for virtual consults.
Patients are becoming more accustomed to the virtual environment for their initial consultations and/or their need for a diagnosis without having to schedule an in-office visit.
Your services now have less borders thanks to teledentistry. The mobile dentistry opportunity naturally extends certain treatment options beyond your fixed (brick-and-mortar) facility.
The more patient-facing your experience the better. And teledentistry is aligned with that goal.
Check out the following resources:
7 Distinct and Innovative Uses for Teledentistry
Teledentistry: Where We Are Now and Where We are Going
Teledentix is an innovative, turn-key teledentistry solution created by Virtual Dental Care. The all-in-one platform will enable you to adapt teledentistry to your patient care and extend your services beyond the walls of your dental practice…and improve your patient care in the process.
LEARN MORE about the Teledentix platform.
[1] https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/texas-passes-law-authorizing-teledentistry
[2] https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/texas-passes-law-authorizing-teledentistry
[3] https://dentistrytoday.com/news/industrynews/item/8507-governor-abbott-signs-texas-teledentistry-bill-into-law
[4] https://dentistrytoday.com/news/industrynews/item/8507-governor-abbott-signs-texas-teledentistry-bill-into-law