SACRAMENTO, Calif.,
Oct. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "We are
pleased with the Governor's signing statement for AB1519. While the
authorizing nature of AB1519 made it difficult to veto the bill,
the Governor clearly indicated that he expects all stakeholders to
come to together to find a better way to create policy around
teledentistry. While this bill does not preclude
SmileDirectClub's continued operations in California, it will create unnecessary hurdles
and costs to Californians that need care but struggle to afford it.
The undebated, clinically unsupported, and ill-advised policy
changes that are included in this bill - a bill that was intended
to reauthorize the Dental Board of California until last-minute policy additions
were added - have created arbitrary barriers to technological
innovation. There are no clinical studies or guidelines that affirm
the mandatory radiography or other equivalent bone imaging
requirement included in AB 1519. Simply put, this bill represents
the dental lobby's thinly-veiled attempt to protect traditional
dentistry at the expense of Californians, and Governor Newsom made
the correct choice in issuing his strongly-worded rebuke of the
tactics and policy that this bill represents.
Nothing in AB1519 requires SmileDirectClub to cease or modify
its operations, and nothing regarding teledentistry in this
legislation can take effect until the Board has given all
stakeholders the opportunity to submit public comment and debate
the merits of any proposed rules with clinically-based data – as
the Governor has requested in his signing statement. To that
effect, SmileDirectClub will be reaching out to our partners in the
field to coordinate efforts so that a positive outcome for the
industry – and for the California
consumers – can be reached. The teledentistry industry
provides access to safe, affordable and convenient dental and
orthodontic care for California
consumers. To be clear, SmileDirectClub will continue to legally
operate in California, we will be
an active participant in the administration-directed public debates
surrounding teledentistry, and we will continue to provide
affordable orthodontic care to thousands of smiling
Californians.
Moving forward, SmileDirectClub welcomes transparent policy
debates that include all stakeholders. We believe that a good
teledentistry policy will result from education and participation
in robust discussions regarding our transformative technology as a
low-risk, high-value and consumer-friendly path to a straighter,
more confident smile for millions of Californians. We hope all
stakeholders will participate in fair, public, and thoughtful
exchanges of ideas as we strive to increase access to affordable,
convenient orthodontic care."
About SmileDirectClub, Inc.
SmileDirectClub, Inc. (Nasdaq: SDC) is the industry pioneer as the
first direct-to-consumer medtech platform for transforming smiles.
Through our cutting-edge teledentistry technology and vertically
integrated model, we are revolutionizing the oral care industry.
SmileDirectClub's mission is to unleash the power of people's
smiles to empower them to positively impact their place in the
world. SmileDirectClub was founded by Alex Fenkell and Jordan
Katzman in partnership with Camelot Venture Group. Available in the
U.S., Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and the UK, SmileDirectClub is headquartered
in Nashville, Tennessee. For more
information, visit SmileDirectClub.com.
SmileDirectClub Media Relations: press@smiledirectclub.com
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SOURCE SmileDirectClub, Inc.