65-1471. Dental services agreements; limitations. (a) As used in this section, "licensed dentist" means a dentist licensed under the dental practices act.

(b) No person who is a licensed dentist or any entity that is not a professional corporation or limited liability company owned by a licensed dentist shall enter into or continue to maintain a contract or agreement with a licensed dentist in which such contract or agreement allows or provides for the following functions to be controlled by any person or entity other than a licensed dentist pursuant to this section:

(1) Providing dental treatment to patients;

(2) the decision to accept individual patients for treatment;

(3) the direction or delegation of all professional dental services;

(4) the ownership of dental charts or patient records;

(5) except as provided in subsection (d), the ownership of dental equipment or dental materials; and

(6) the supervision of clinical dental staff.

(c) It shall not be a violation of this section for a person or entity to act on behalf of a licensed dentist to perform or arrange for others to perform office administrative services including, but not limited to:

(1) Purchasing, billing or tax preparation;

(2) compliance or quality assurance programs;

(3) legal advice or representation; and

(4) payroll, advertising, training, recruiting, recordkeeping, programming or other similar functions under the direction or with the consent or approval of a licensed dentist or professional corporation or limited liability company owned by a licensed dentist.

(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a licensed dentist, professional corporation or limited liability company owned by a licensed dentist from entering into real estate lease, equipment lease or lease purchase agreement or bona fide sale of dental equipment or material secured by a chattel mortgage or retain title agreements with equipment manufacturers, landlords, lending institutions, leasing companies, dental franchisors or persons or entities providing dental office administrative services or similar commercial financing transactions.

(e) No contract or provision in any such agreement shall require either party to indemnify the other party for negligence, intentional acts or omissions that constitute a violation of K.S.A. 65-1422 et seq., and amendments thereto.

History: L. 2011, ch. 114, § 97; June 9.