South Carolina S 453: Teledentistry

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 453 Text of Previous Version (May. 06, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 453

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

May 5, 2026

S. 453

Introduced 
by Senator Verdin 

S. Printed 5/5/26--H. [SEC 
5/6/2026 12:27 PM]

Read the first time February 18, 2026

________

The committee on House Medical, 
Military, Public and Municipal Affairs

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 453) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Article 5 to Title 40, Chapter 15, so 
as to provide guidelines for the practice of teledentistry in this state, etc., 
respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

S.H. DAVIS for Committee.

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill establishes guidelines and 
restrictions for the practice of teledentistry and requires the Board of 
Dentistry to adopt regulations governing the provision of dental services 
through teledentistry. The bill defines teledentistry and other terms related 
to the practice and the standard of care required for teledentistry. The bill 
requires licensees to establish a bona fide relationship with a patient before 
providing teledentistry services, including appropriate in-person physical 
examinations. The bill further establishes requirements for licensees 
practicing teledentistry related to the confirmation and verification of a 
patient's identity, furnishment of identifying information related to the 
licensee's practice to a teledentistry patient, the provision of informed 
consent of teledentistry services, and limitations on the advertisement of 
teledentistry services. The bill limits tasks that may be delegated by a 
dentist to auxiliaries in the practice of teledentistry, and restricts 
licensees practicing teledentistry from requiring a patient to enter into an 
agreement that restricts the ability of the patient to submit a complaint to 
the board, file a lawsuit, join a class action lawsuit, or otherwise limit or 
prohibit the patient from obtaining relief for deficiencies in the treatment or 
services they have received. The provisions of this bill govern if found to be 
in conflict with Title 40 of Chapter 42, the Telehealth and Telemedicine 
Modernization Act, and the bill takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

LLR indicates that the provisions of this 
bill do not materially alter the responsibilities of the agency or the Board of 
Dentistry, and any expenses resulting from the implementation of the bill will 
be managed using existing resources. Therefore, this bill will have no fiscal 
impact on LLR. 

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 
5 TO TITLE 40, CHAPTER 15, SO AS TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR THE PRACTICE OF 
TELEDENTISTRY IN THIS STATE, TO OUTLINE UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, AND TO PROVIDE 
DEFINITIONS RELATED TO TELEDENTISTRY.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 15, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 5

Teledentistry

 Section 
40-15-500. As used in this chapter:

 (1) "Asynchronous 
transmission" means store and forward technology that allows a licensee to 
transmit a patient's health information to another licensee for viewing at a 
later time.

 (2) "Current 
radiographic records" means radiographs or images taken contemporaneously with an 
in-person examination.

 (3) "Distant 
site" means the location of the site where a licensee is providing 
teledentistry services to a patient located at an originating site.

 (4) "Emergent 
care" means treatment of pain, infection, or any other intraoral or perioral 
condition that presents immediate harm to the well-being of the patient and for 
which treatment cannot be postponed.

 (5) "Originating 
site" means the location of the site where a patient is receiving teledentistry 
services from a licensee at a distant site.

 (6) "Public 
health program" means a program approved by the board or any program 
administered by:

 (a) 
the Department of Health and Human Services;

 (b) 
a health district; or

 (c) 
a school district.

 (7) "Teledentistry" 
has the same meaning and may be used interchangeably with the term "telehealth" 
as defined in Section 40-42-10(5). The term includes, without limitation:

 (a) 
real-time interactions between a patient at an originating site and a licensee 
at a distant site;

 (b) 
the asynchronous transmission of medical and dental information concerning a 
patient from an originating site to a licensee at a distant site;

 (c) 
interaction between a licensee who is providing dental