Prevented rate cuts and eliminated red tape in the Medicaid dental
program. Not only did the TDA help prevent budget cuts to dental
Medicaid, it also supported legislation that reduces administrative
burdens for Medicaid participating dentists;
Safeguarded dental patients. TDA supported legislation that
requires dental support organizations (DSOs) to register with the
state. Information included in this registration will further help
the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners to identify DSOs
and enforce existing state laws against illegal ownership and
non-dentist influence of dentists and dental practices;
Preserved dentists’ independent professional judgment. The TDA
strongly advocated to defeat proposed legislation that would have
taken existing rules governing improper influence on professional
judgment, amended them, and locked them in statute. This
approach would have resulted in a vastly different regulatory environment jeopardizing both patients and dentists; and
Secured funding for dental schools. The TDA successfully worked
with the dental schools and the legislature to obtain additional
state funding including $72 million to Baylor College of Dentistry
for capital projects.
As evidenced from the É•