Just days after a compromise on the regulatory oversight of contracts between dental service organizations (DSOs) and dentists was struck by groups representing DSOs and the North Carolina Dental Society, the resulting legislation has been swiftly passed by the North Carolina Legislature.
On Thursday, the Senate agreed on the legislation, HB 698/SB 655, approved by the House on Wednesday. Gov. Beverly Perdue now needs to sign the bill.
The bill requires the State Board of Dental Examiners to add more regulatory oversight to contracts between DSOs and dentists. What sort of scrutiny contracts will receive going forward is uncertain, but the details will be sorted out by a six-member task force, with two members representing the interests of DSOs.
