The American Dental Association amended its teledentistry policy during its 2020 House of Delegates meeting.
During the Oct. 19 meeting, the ADA updated the teledentistry policy it adopted in 2015. The organization said teledentistry "has the capability to expand the reach of a dental home to provide needed dental care to a population within reasonable geographic distances and varied locations where the services are rendered."
Five key requirements in the updated teledentistry policy:
- Teledentistry services "must be consistent with how they would be delivered in-person" and "based on the same level of information that would be available in an in-person environment." The ADA said that dentists have a legal obligation to ensure all records they collect can sufficiently lead them to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
- Dentists who deliver, supervise or direct teledentistry services should be licensed in the state where the patient receives virtual care, barring certain authorizations from state dental boards.
- Patients should know the identity and qualifications of the dental professionals involved in all teledentistry services they receive.
- Patients should be aware of costs for which they are responsible before they receive teledentistry services and should be "actively involved in treatment decisions."
- Public and private dental insurers should cover teledentistry services at the same level as they cover in-person dental services.
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