Several dental organizations have partnered to create legislation pushing for increased licensure portability for dentists and dental hygienists.
Six notes:
- The legislation aims to ease interstate practicing to improve access for patients and make it easier for dental providers to relocate, saving them time and money, according to a Sept. 8 news release.
- The Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure was launched in 2018 and has grown to include 120 member groups, including the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association and American Student Dental Association.
- In 2021, the Defense Department began providing grants to help various professions develop interstate licensure compacts, which are legal contracts that allow states to collaborate on shared problems.
- The ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure, along with other dental stakeholders, applied for assistance from the Defense Department for dentistry and dental hygiene.
- The groups are now receiving assistance with drafting interstate compact legislation for dentistry, a draft of which is available for public comment until Sept. 30. A finalized version is set to be released in early 2023.
- Between five and 10 state legislatures are needed to formally adopt the compact before it becomes operational. The organizations hope to have all 50 state legislatures eventually adopt the compact.