Texas state law held that dentists could only lawfully advertise as "specialists" for specialties officially recognized by of the American Dental Association (ADA). The federal appellate decision affirms an earlier overturn of Texas state statutes.
Jurisdiction of the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals includes Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. At this time, it is unclear if defendants will seek appeal to the US Supreme Court. It is also unclear how this ruling may influence similar restrictive advertising disagreements, such as a current case being argued before the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and a petition before the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry.
To date, the ADA has not issued a public statement on the federal appellate decision, nor offered comment on the possibility of an expansion of its recognized dental specialty areas.
Links to court cases and petition
The full June 19, 2017, ruling by the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals may be found here (PDF).
The restrictive advertising complaint filed April 7, 2017, in US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana may be found here (PDF).
The March 2, 2017, restrictive advertising petition put before the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry may be found here (PDF).
