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Subcommittee backs teledentistry bill after dentist cites COVID telecare data (S.453)
Summary
The House 3M subcommittee unanimously reported S.453, which sets teledentistry standards and limits remote orthodontic assessment pending in‑person confirmation. A practicing dentist cited ~60,000 COVID‑era encounters and low subsequent ER visits in support.
The House 3M subcommittee voted unanimously to report Senate Bill 453, a measure to add teledentistry provisions to South Carolina dental law that define permissible remote care and require in‑person confirmation for orthodontic appliance use.
Thomas Edmonds, a practicing dentist from Lexington County speaking for the South Carolina Dental Association, described how teledentistry was used during COVID and cited an analysis of roughly 60,000 encounters that were reimbursed through the Department of Health and Human Services; he said fewer than 1 percent of those patients went to an emergency room within 30 days and about 85 percent visited a dental office within 90 days. "It was a huge success," Edmonds said, arguing the bill safeguards patients by requiring a bona fide patient relationship and availability of the treating dentist during care.
Edmonds also flagged direct‑to‑consumer orthodontic services as a patient‑safety concern, saying some users developed bite problems that required retreatment when later seen by a dentist or orthodontist. Committee members asked clarifying questions; no amendments were offered.
With no objections, the subcommittee voted to send S.453 to the full committee.
The subcommittee did not set a full‑committee date in the hearing record.
