Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law legislation legalizing the use of teledentistry (TX HB 2056), requiring health benefit plans to cover approved oral health services delivered remotely.
CareQuest Institute for Oral Health CEO and President Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan issued the following statement, commending the community-based advocates and health care experts who worked together with Texas officials on this landmark legislation. Together, their efforts will remove barriers to care by approving the use of teledentistry and requiring insurers to cover the critical mode of delivering person-centered care.
“Americans have embraced telemedicine and teledentistry during the pandemic, and for good reason. Use of teledentistry expands access to care for historically marginalized populations, prioritizes dental chair time for the highest-risk patients, and helps keep low-risk patients healthy.
According to our own research, in one state where teledentistry has been authorized for some time, 86% of patients said they were satisfied with their overall teledentistry experience, and the same percentage said they would recommend teledentistry to another person. With this week’s bill signing, Texans are one step closer to expanding access to care and improving the patient experience.
We applaud the many state leaders and advocates who worked tirelessly for this bill’s passage — including the Texas Dental Association, Texas Oral Health Coalition, Texas Health Initiative, Texas e-Health Alliance, and DentaQuest — and encourage the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to act swiftly in issuing guidance so Texas dentists can begin using technology to meet the needs of their patients.”