ORTHO Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9829 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9829 To provide for the safety of patients receiving dental services through telehealth, and for other services. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 22, 2026 Mr. Babin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for the safety of patients receiving dental services through telehealth, and for other services. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Oversight of Responsible Teledentistry for Healthy Outcomes Act'' or the ``ORTHO Act''. SEC. 2. TELEDENTRISTY SAFETY. (a) Requirement for Teledentistry.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate regulations under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, that require the following: (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), a dentist to perform an in-person examination of a patient before the dentist may provide dental services or medical devices to that patient through teledentistry. (2) A provider to establish a relationship with a patient through teledentistry only-- (A) for the purpose of emergent care; (B) as part of a public health program; or (C) to make an initial diagnosis of a malposition of teeth and a determination of the need for an orthodontic appliance by a dentist exercising independent clinical judgment, and not solely through automated or algorithmic processes. (3) Any initial diagnosis and determination described in paragraph (2)(C) to be made or affirmed by a dentist exercising independent clinical judgment and to be confirmed through an i