The Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Licensure Compact became valid when Maine became the seventh state to enact it on April 22. The Compact is now enacted by Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, with Ohio awaiting the governor’s decision via SB 40. The Compact Commission will oversee background checks and verify licensure status to facilitate licensure portability between states.
Next, each member state will appoint a representative to serve on the compact commission this summer. The commissioner, selected by the state’s dental licensing board, must be a representative of the board. In the fall, commissioners will meet to elect an executive committee, vote on initial rules and bylaws and take steps to make the compact fully operational. These meetings will be open to the public. Once the data system is up and running and an application process is established, the commission will open applications for compact privileges to dentists and dental hygienists, verifying their eligibility and issuing privileges to practice in selected member states.
A more detailed timeline of next steps can be found here.
