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HB 441

DENTIST & DENTAL HYGIENIST COMPACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Gail Armstrong and 4 co-sponsors

HB 441 creates a multi-state dental compact allowing dentists and hygienists to practice across participating states with a single license instead of obtaining separate state licenses.

action postponed indefinitely
#health&healthfacilities #licensure
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Bill Summary · HB 441

Legislative bill overview

HB 441 establishes a multi-state compact allowing dentists and dental hygienists to obtain a single license that is valid across participating states, rather than requiring separate licenses in each state. The compact creates uniform standards and streamlined reciprocity agreements between member states to facilitate professional mobility.

Why is this important

Healthcare professional licensing compacts reduce barriers to interstate practice, potentially expanding access to dental services in underserved areas and allowing practitioners to work across state lines more easily. This addresses workforce shortages in rural regions and reduces licensing costs and administrative burden for dental professionals.

Potential points of contention

  • Regulatory standardization concerns: States may worry about ceding licensing control to a compact authority, potentially creating tensions between state dental boards and the interstate compact commission regarding discipline and quality standards
  • Scope of practice variations: Different states currently allow hygienists different procedures (fillings, local anesthesia, etc.); the compact would need to establish baseline standards that could either restrict some states' current practices or allow practices some states consider unsafe
  • Consumer protection questions: Critics may argue that a streamlined multi-state license reduces individualized state oversight and could make it harder for patients to verify practitioner credentials or file complaints through familiar state channels

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

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