By Laura Diamond, Attorney
Practice websites are considered business promotion by Texas State Board of Dental Examiners and must comply with the Board’s advertising rules. Rule 108.59 delineates four essential disclosures required by dental practice websites. In addition, the Rule specifies that this information should be “clearly” disclosed meaning that it is easily identifiable by the public.
(1) Website Ownership The owner of a website is the person or entity with control over the domain name and who is authorized to make changes to the site. For most dental practices, the owner of the practice website will be the dentist or that dentist’s business entity.
(2) Services Provided by the Practice When listing services provided, a general dentist must take care to ensure that the listing does not imply specialization. A general dentist must include the notation “General Dentist” or “General Dentistry” directly after the dentist’s name. A general dentist who describes services such as porcelain crowns, dental implants, dentures, and porcelain veneers, must also specify that he or she is a General Dentist. A dentist who has met the requirements of a recognized specialty may include those credentials when listing services provided.
(3) Location and Contact Information This would include the practice name, practice address(es), telephone number and email address. Remember that an email address should be for general information and inquiries only. Care must be taken so that protected health information is not exchanged when communicating via email, unless the email is encrypted.
(4) Licensure and Qualifications Each dentist should specify that he or she is licensed to practice in the State of Texas and include any other states, or countries, of licensure. A description of the dentist’s formal educational background and subsequent dental training should also be included. A dentist may publicize professional honors and awards as long as the statement is true and subject to reasonable verification by the public. Rule 108.62 requires that the publication of an award or recognition also state the year or time period of receipt and clearly name the awarding organization or entity. Associated health care providers such as dental assistants and dental hygienists should also be disclosed on the website along with Board certifications, formal education, and professional recognitions.
Laura Diamond is an administrative and healthcare attorney based in Austin, Texas with a statewide practice representing dentists before the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. Ms. Diamond can be reached at ldiamond@dsedlaw.com or (512) 472-4845.
© Laura Diamond 2024. This article is not legal advice