Oklahoma strengthens noncovered services protections in new law

On April 14, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law a bill clarifying that dental insurance companies may not set fees for services they do not cover. The policy is intended to restore the original intent of the state’s 2010 noncovered services law and marks a significant victory for organized dentistry. 

The legislation, Senate Bill 1942, advanced by the Oklahoma Dental Association with support from the ADA, closes a loophole created by a 2013 attorney general opinion that allowed insurers to impose fee restrictions in cases involving frequency limits, waiting periods or annual maximums. With this bill, Oklahoma aligns more clearly with the growing number of states that prohibit such practices outright. 

With the original 2010 law, Oklahoma was among the first states to establish that dental insurers may not set fees for services they do not cover. However, a subsequent interpretation of the law created a loophole that insurers used to continue influencing pricing for noncovered services, allowing them to impose fee restrictions under certain contractual conditions. 

For the Oklahoma Dental Association, the bill’s signing marks the end of a long and deliberate advocacy campaign that spanned more than a decade and required sustained grassroots engagement as well as coordinated messaging. Supporters say it will likely have a national impact, as states around the country may consider similarly improving their noncovered services laws. 

“The 2026 legislative session success in our state represents the culmination of more than a decade of persistence, strategy, and grassroots advocacy from Oklahoma Dental Association and its members,” said Lindsay Smith, D.D.S., chair of the Oklahoma Dental Association Council on Governmental Affairs. “By closing the loophole in noncovered services, we restored fairness to the marketplace, protected small dental practices, and ensured that decisions about patient care are no longer dictated by insurance companies that aren’t paying for those services.” 

ADA president Richard Rosato, D.M.D. offered his own congratulations and noted how Oklahoma’s win connects to national advocacy.

“Dentists in Oklahoma refused to quit on an issue they knew, if passed, would benefit themselves and their patients,” he said. “Great laws like this are exactly why we are pursuing the Improving Dental Administration Act at the federal level, so that if a state has a noncovered services law on the books, it applies to all forms of coverage offered, including self-funded plans.” 

The issue of whether third-party payers should be allowed to dictate prices for services they do not reimburse has been a defining one for organized dentistry. Dentists participating in insurance networks already agree to significant discounts, often averaging about 55% of their usual fees, for covered services. Extending those controls to noncovered services, advocates said, undermines free-market principles and places disproportionate pressure on small dental practices. 

Oklahoma Dental Association leaders also emphasized the broader market implications. By leveraging their size, large insurers can impose contract provisions that smaller competitors cannot match, contributing to industry consolidation and limiting competition, which may ultimately impact patients through higher costs and reduced choice. 

Addressing that imbalance, Senate Bill 1942 moved in tandem with a companion measure in the House. Early decisions like routing the legislation through appropriations committees rather than insurance committees helped the bill avoid procedural roadblocks where opposition influence was expected to be strongest. 

At the same time, the Oklahoma Dental Association mobilized a broad-based advocacy campaign. Dentists across the state engaged lawmakers directly through calls, texts and in-person meetings, while the association deployed many communications tools, including legislative alerts, social media outreach, town halls and targeted educational materials for policymakers. Events like legislative receptions and coordinated media efforts kept the issue visible throughout the session. 

The campaign faced significant resistance, as insurance industry groups and affiliated organizations mounted a well-funded opposition effort that included proposed amendments and messaging aimed at slowing the bill’s progress. Oklahoma Dental Association leaders said strong member engagement, along with support from ADA staff and resources and state-level partnerships, helped overcome those challenges. 

Ultimately, the measure passed both chambers with broad bipartisan support, followed by a final push from members urging the governor’s signature. 

“What ODA accomplished this year in our state legislature is a powerful example of what happens when dentists speak with one voice through organized dentistry,” said Oklahoma Dental Association President Twana Duncan, D.D.S. “Our members showed up, engaged their legislators, and stood firm against well-funded opposition. From the individual dentists calling their legislators to the support we received from the ADA, organized dentistry showed up in a major way. The result is a meaningful, pro-patient, pro-small business reform that brings balance back to the dentist-patient relationship in Oklahoma.” 

The legislation is set to take effect Nov. 1.