How to Report a Patient Death or Injury Requiring Hospitalization

A dentist has the duty to report a patient’s hospitalization or death to the TSBDE and to produce a detailed accounting of those reports.

TSBDE Rule 108.6, “Report of Patient Death or Injury Requiring Hospitalization,” states as follows:

A dentist must submit a written report to the TSBDE as provided below:

The death of a dental patient which may have occurred as a consequence of the receipt of dental services from the reporting dentist must be reported within 72 hours of the death, or such time as the dentist becomes aware or reasonably should have become aware of the death;
The hospitalization of a dental patient, as a possible consequence of receiving dental services from the reporting dentist, must be reported within 30 days of the hospitalization or such time as the dentist becomes aware of or reasonably should have become aware of the hospitalization. For purposes of this section, “hospitalization” shall be defined as an examination at a hospital or emergency medical facility that results in an in-patient admission for the purpose(s) of treatment and/or monitoring.

To comply with the reporting requirements, please complete the Dentist – Self-Report Patient Hospitalization/Mortality form and mail it to:

Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
Investigations Division
1801 Congress Ave., Suite 8.600
Austin, TX 78701