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Texas State Board of Dental Examiners Statement
Today, the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) issued the following statement regarding the Governor’s Executive Order 15:
Executive Order GA-15 addresses both licensed health care professionals and licensed health care facilities. The first statement in the order applies to both professionals and facilities, but the exceptions apply only to facilities. Therefore, licensed dental professionals are required to postpone procedures that are not medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of, a patient who without timely performance of the procedure would be at risk for serious medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s dentist. This means that a dental professional may perform procedures that are medically necessary as clarified in the first statement of the order. In addition, dental professionals are directed to follow CDC guidelines when performing those procedures and are directed to follow state and local orders related to social distancing.
Governor Abbott’s Executive Order 15 is in effect until 11:59 p.m. on May 8, 2020, unless it is modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by the governor. Until the order’s expiration, a dentist is limited to performing procedures that are medically necessary to diagnose or correct a serious medical condition of, or to preserve the life of, a patient who without timely performance of the procedure would be at risk for serious medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s dentist.
To find more guidance on this topic, please review the TSBDE’s FAQ: http://tsbde.texas.gov/