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SD 738

An Act establishing the dentist and dental hygienist compact

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by John Cronin

Massachusetts joins multi-state dental compact allowing licensed dentists and hygienists to practice across member state lines without separate licenses per state.

House concurred
0
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Bill Summary · SD 738

Legislative bill overview

SD 738 establishes the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, a multi-state agreement that would allow licensed dentists and dental hygienists to practice across state lines without obtaining separate licenses in each state. The compact creates uniform standards and streamlines licensure reciprocity among participating states, similar to compacts that exist for nursing and other professions.

Why is this important

This legislation addresses workforce mobility and potential access-to-care issues by reducing regulatory barriers that currently require practitioners to obtain and maintain multiple state licenses. For rural or underserved areas near state borders, this could expand service availability and reduce costs for practitioners, though it also requires states to agree on baseline competency standards and share licensure information.

Potential points of contention

  • Professional regulation concerns: Some stakeholders may worry that streamlined reciprocity could lower state-specific licensing standards or reduce each state's independent oversight authority over practitioners operating within their borders
  • Scope of practice variations: Dentists and hygienists have different permitted procedures across states; the compact must determine whether practitioners can perform all procedures allowed in their home state or only those permitted in the state where they're providing care
  • Implementation costs: States must invest in administrative infrastructure and participate in data-sharing systems; unclear who bears these compliance and technological costs

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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