There has been a flurry of legislation affecting dental professionals in 2026. Lately, it seems like states are granting and restricting several aspects of dentistry. There are so many changes circulating that it often seems the public is unaware of which legislation is still being considered, which bills will be enacted and when, and which ones have been halted.
Over the last few years, we have seen significant advances in enacting a compact license for dental professionals. Practitioners have wanted a unified dental license to make it easier for professionals to relocate, broaden their workplace opportunities, and improve access to care.
Tracee Dahm, MS, RDH.
Currently, two dental hygiene compact licenses are being discussed. One of them is the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact from the Council of State Governments, which was activated in April 2024. To date, 12 states (Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin) have enacted legislation.
Another 10 states are considering joining this compact, bringing the possible total to 22. As of now, there is no dentist or dental hygienist compact license to apply for, as it is still in the revision phase. If 22 states were to exist in this compact, it would put this license on a par with other healthcare compacts in terms of the number of member states.
Since the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact license was activated, professionals have eagerly watched and waited to see when they could apply for licensure. Since so many states are involved, building systems to make the licensure application process more secure and efficient has been lengthy and extensive. It cannot be rushed.
Currently, the compact commissioners must finalize all rules and resolve litigation associated with the license. All 12 states must agree to the rules. A database is currently being constructed to store all approved practitioners who hold this license once they are eligible.
Finally, the commissioners must establish a system to conduct background checks on applicants. And as other states join the compact, they, too, must appoint commissioners and review the rules. Thus, it takes time. It is currently estimated that if this license were activated, it would be delayed until late 2026 or early 2027.
Many dental professionals will continue to watch developments closely. Emotions are high, as there has never been a compact license of any kind in dentistry. Some are excited that licensure like this is starting to become a reality and feel that it will bring better oral healthcare access to patients. Others argue that the educational standards will not be standardized. Only time will tell how this compact license will play out.
Editor's Note: References available upon request.
Tracee S. Dahm, MS, RDH, is an adjunct instructor for the North Idaho College School of Dental Hygiene. In addition, she serves as an educator and moderator at Young Innovations. She is a key opinion leader in cutting-edge hygiene innovations and is currently conducting a scoping review on access to care for the institutionalized elderly population. Dahm's additional scholarly work includes research on periodontal pathogens, and her ongoing interests span emerging trends in dental hygiene, strategies to improve access to oral care for the underserved, and the role of mental health in dentistry. She can be reached at [email protected].
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