As more states explore interstate licensure options for dental professionals, two separate compacts are progressing in different directions, each backed by different national organizations and offering different requirements and benefits.
The Interstate Dental & Dental Hygiene Licensure (IDDHL) Compact, developed by the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB), has recently seen legislative progress. Louisiana became the first state to officially enact the compact, passing House Bill 543 without opposition. According to the AADB, similar legislation has passed both chambers in Mississippi and the House of Representatives in Oklahoma. Bills have also been introduced in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland.
“The IDDHL Compact’s momentum reflects a growing recognition of its benefits for both dental professionals and patients,” said Arthur Chen-Shu Jee, DMD, president of the board of directors of AADB. “We’re seeing positive feedback from states across the nation, celebrating advancements that will enhance access to quality dental care while maintaining rigorous standards.”
According to the AADB, the IDDHL Compact is designed to create a voluntary, expedited pathway for dentists and dental hygienists to obtain licensure in participating states. The compact requires applicants to have graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)-approved program and either pass the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) exam or have five years of practice after passing a regional examination.
The AADB also stated that the compact preserves state authority over licensure while providing a centralized repository for member states to verify credentials and share disciplinary information. The AADB cites survey data indicating that 82% of Americans support maintaining hand-skills examinations as part of dental licensure.
“By joining the IDDHL Compact, states demonstrate their commitment to meeting the needs of providers while protecting public health,” Dr. Jee said. “This initiative creates new opportunities for dental professionals to serve communities across state lines, improving access to care and professional mobility.”
More information about the IDDHL Compact is available at aadbcompact.org.
Separately, the Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact, developed through a collaboration between the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), the American Dental Association (ADA), and the Council of State Governments (CSG), has reached its own implementation milestones.
According to the ADHA, 12 states have enacted the DDH Compact. When the seventh state joined, the compact became active, triggering the formation of a commission to oversee its administration. The commission has met multiple times, and the process of enabling individual dental hygienists and dentists to apply for compact privileges is now underway, the ADHA said.
According to the ADHA, the DDH Compact does not require applicants to take additional clinical examinations when seeking licensure across state lines. The association stated that the compact is intended to support professional mobility while reducing administrative barriers for licensees.
The ADHA also noted that states may only participate in one licensure compact. As a result, dental hygienists in states that adopt the IDDHL Compact will not be eligible to access privileges through the DDH Compact. The ADHA said it is continuing efforts to educate state legislators on the differences between the two models and why it supports the DDH Compact for the dental hygiene profession.
More information about the DDH Compact is available at ddhcompact.org.
According to both organizations, the compacts are intended to address workforce mobility challenges and improve access to dental care across state lines. As state legislatures weigh the two options, the landscape of interstate licensure for dental professionals is expected to evolve in the coming years.
