News

The Government
Relations Workgroup (GRW) this month has approved NADP to submit
comments in Maryland and Texas to support bills that ensure dentists’
ability to contract with Dental Support Organizations (DSOs).

Maryland SB 887

In March, the GRW developed and NADP submitted comments in support of Senate Bill (SB) 887, which confirms dentists’ ability to contract with DSOs. The bill would also seem to prohibit the Dental Board from adopting proposed regulation on dental practice management, to which NADP has expressed concerns previously in comments.

The bill was
heard in the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
Committee on Wednesday, March 18. We will continue to post updates on
this and other items impacting DSOs in the Government Relations Open Forum of Dental Interact (DI).

Texas HB 2330 and SB 960

The GRW is
currently developing draft comments to submit to the Texas House
Committee on Public Health and the Senate Health and Human Services
Committee in support of TX HB 2330 and SB 960.

As background,
the TX Board of Dental Examiners proposed rules in 2014 that would have
effectively eliminated DSO supported practices. These were not
implemented due to strong opposition from stakeholders, including the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). NADP also submitted opposition comments and published a Press Release.
HB 2330 / SB 960 would ensure dentists can continue to enter into
contracts with DSOs while also codifying current administrative rules,
identifying broad clinical functions only licensed dentists can perform
and defining business functions of DSOs.

Interested
members are also encouraged to contact the Texas Committees with
support. Additional documents with background and talking points on the
Texas bills are available online here.

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