Texas legalizes teledentistry following lawsuit

Austin, Texas; June 18, 2021: Following a lawsuit filed in February and bipartisan calls for reform in the Texas legislature, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill today that formally authorizes the practice of teledentistry. The law explicitly prevents the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners from banning teledentistry and brings teledentistry in line with other telemedicine practices.

“This is great news for Texas citizens who will continue to have access to quality dental care from the comfort of their homes,” said Joshua Polk, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, which represents the teledentistry providers that challenged the Board of Dental Examiners’ purported ban on their practice. “There is a crisis in dental care access in Texas, and this legislation will go a long way in addressing that crisis. It will also allow our clients to continue operations in the state.”

The lawsuit argued that banning patients from talking to a dentist from the safety of their home during a pandemic isn’t about protecting public health—it’s about protecting incumbent businesses from competition and innovation.

“I’m thrilled that we’re finally able to bring our practice back to Texas,” said Dr. Celeste Mohr, a dentist affiliated with TheTeleDentists, who filed a lawsuit challenging the ban. “We’ve missed helping Texans smile more confidently and we’re excited to bring back a low-cost, flexible dental alternative to our patients.”

The case is Celeste Mohr, D.D.S., et al. v. Texas State Board of Dental Examiners et al.