CMDL: Modernizing Dental Licensure

With the DDH Compact now active, the Compact Commission held its inaugural meeting on August 28, 2024. Rulemaking began at the meeting on January 21, 2025. The Draft Rule on Rulemaking (PDF), the Dentist and Dental Hygiene Compact Commission Bylaws (PDF), and the Draft Rule on Clinical Assessment (PDF) are publicly available to view.  The comment period is closed.

For more information on the Compact Commission, visit the DDH Compact website.

Arkansas Joins the DDH Compact: The 11th State to Enact Legislation

Arkansas has officially joined the Dental and Dental Hygiene (DDH) Compact, marking the 11th state to participate in this groundbreaking initiative. The DDH Compact enhances licensure portability, making it easier for dental professionals to practice across state lines. This progress underscores the commitment to streamlining licensure processes and improving access to dental care nationwide.

The DDH Compact Commission holds regular meetings that are open to the public. Those interested in staying informed or participating can find registration details here.

CMDL is a coalition of over 130 national and state organizations, institutions and programs representing dentistry, dental education, dental specialties, dental hygiene and nonprofit groups working to improve public access to oral health care.

Since its founding in 2018, the Coalition has focused on two essential goals:

• To eliminate single-encounter, procedure-based patient examinations, replacing them with clinical assessments that have stronger validity and reliability evidence.
• To increase licensure portability to allow for professional mobility and improved access to care.

Coalition founders based these objectives on findings shared by the Task Force on Assessment of Readiness to Practice (TARP). These recommendations continue to guide the Coalition’s work as we unite to modernize licensure practices for dentists and dental hygienists.

Read the TARP report