Pa. lawmaker to reintroduce teledentistry bill

A bill to establish teledentistry care in Pennsylvania has been reintroduced by a state lawmaker in the House. 

State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, announced this week that he plans to reintroduce HB 1729, a bill that would establish teledentistry care in the commonwealth and would also require insurers to cover teledental care. 

In a memo seeking legislative support for the bill, Frankel said that by connecting virtually, dental professionals can examine patients, monitor treatment, prescribe antibiotics, and determine if in-person care is necessary. 

For vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including children and older adults, and those living in rural areas or without reliable transportation, teledentistry could be the difference between accessing dental care and going without. 

“My legislation would ensure that dental providers are able to use every tool to get that care to the patients most at risk for unmet dental needs, including rural and low-income populations,” Frankel said. “Adults and children throughout this commonwealth are not getting the dental care they need, which sets them up for years of pain and additional health consequences.”