Pennsylvania Dentists Now Required to Buy Liability Insurance

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett signed into law late last month Senate Bill 388 that mandates all dentists in the state to purchase professional liability insurance. Pennsylvania is now one of 10 states in the country requiring some form of liability insurance for dentists, according to officials. Other states with similar requirements include Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, and Nevada.

“The Pennsylvania Insurance Department was supportive of the bill to require that licensed dentists have medical malpractice liability insurance. Prior to this point, it was not a condition of licensure for dentists,” department spokesperson Rosanne Placey told Insurance Journal. “This bill is a victory for consumers. It ensures all dentists practicing in Pennsylvania have the proper insurance coverage. Gov. Corbett felt it was important to sign this bill into law to provide Pennsylvanians with protection and the peace of mind that their dentist has medical malpractice insurance in case they are injured in the dentist chair.”