The new law ensures that "patients receive the same standard of care required in traditional dental settings, including appropriate examinations, X-rays, a thorough review of medical and dental history, and in-person treatment when clinically necessary."

The American Telemedicine Association opposes Georgia's approach to regulating teledentistry.

The new law "enacts an anti-competitive monopoly in favor of brick and mortar dental practices versus teledentistry practices," Kyle Zebley, the executive director of the association's ATA Action arm, writes in a public letter sent to a state lawmaker who worked on the bill.

The new law also "essentially limits dentists ability to provide teledentistry services by turning teledentistry into a referral service for brick-and-mortar dental offices," Zebley adds.

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One section in the new law sets a "separate standard of care for teledentistry compared to an in-person care, stating 'a teledentistry interaction shall not constitute or be considered the equivalent of an in-person, clinical examination by a licensed dentist,'" Zebley writes. "ATA Action categorically rejects the notion that just because services are provided by teledentistry the patient is receiving a substandard form of care."

Other provisions in the law require the teledentistry provider to have a physical office in Georgia and to establish a referral relationship with a "referred dentist who practices dentistry and treats patients in a physical and operational dental office located in this state."

Requiring both the referring and referred dentists to have a physical office in Georgia "undermines the practical benefits of telehealth," Zebley says

Zebley also opposes a provision requiring teledentistry providers to "strongly encourage" patients to see in-person dentists at least once a year. He says the bill seems to require patients who want teledentistry services to get in-person care.

The backdrop: Telehealth providers argue that rules that favor brick-and-mortar providers over telehealth providers are unfair and intended to limit competition for the incumbents.

Brick-and-mortar providers contend that most patients want the option of seeing providers in person and that providers need to be able to offer patients ready access to local brick-and-mortar care options for urgent care and emergency care.