Seven states have recently introduced legislation to join the Instate Dental and Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact created by the American Association of Dental Boards.

Arizona legislators are currently considering a bill that would enter the state into the Dental and Dental Hygienist Compact. 

The Georgia House Health Committee unanimously passed a bill to help dental schools in Augusta and Savannah, Ga., to recruit faculty members, according to a Feb. 20 report from Savannah Morning News.

There are currently 7,085 dental professional shortage areas in the U.S., according to new data from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Florida Dental Association is opposed to a bill that would establish dental therapists in Florida, according to a Feb. 17 report from the Tampa Bay Times. 

Pocatello-based Idaho State University has requested additional funding from the state to expand the Idaho Dental Education Program, idahoednews.org reported Feb. 11. 

The shortage of dental professionals has significantly affected New Mexico, especially in rural communities, according to a Feb. 11 report from Albuquerque Journal.

Missouri legislators are considering joining the interstate Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact.

The Indiana House of Representatives approved a bill that outlines the framework for the state to join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact.

The persistent shortage of dental hygienists is leading to scheduling backlogs at dental practices, according to a Feb. 4 report from CBS affiliate WKRC.

More than 20 states increased minimum wage on Jan. 1, increasing wages for more than nine million workers by a total of nearly $6 billion, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Two more states are looking to join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, while participation in the compact was recently challenged in another state. 

Resident dentists at the University of Buffalo in New York voted to unionize and negotiate for better training, staffing and pay, NBC affiliate WGRZ reported Jan. 28. 

Approximately 37.5% of dental practice managers are planning or are actively pursuing a job change within the next few years, according to Dentalpost's 2025 Dental Salary Survey Report.

About 22.9% of dental office managers plan to retire within six years, according to Dentalpost's 2025 Dental Salary Survey Report.

Wisconsin has launched several initiatives aimed at bringing more dentists to its rural communities, Wisconsin Public Radio reported Jan. 23. 

Watertown, N.Y.-based Jefferson Community College is launching a dental hygiene program, according to a Jan. 22 report from 7 News.

More than half of all dental assistants are currently applying for new jobs or planning to do so before 2026, according to Dentalpost's 2025 Dental Salary Survey Report.

Cleveland, Wis.-based Lakeshore College is expanding its on-site dental clinic and launching a dental hygiene program with a $1.2 million grant.

Lawmakers in Texas have filed a bill to enter the state into the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, according to a Jan. 16 report from The Texas Tribune.