Colorado and Minnesota join Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact

States eighth and ninth to pass legislation

Colorado became the eighth state and Minnesota became the ninth to join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, which supports license portability by allowing dental professionals to practice in participating states instead of obtaining individual licenses in each state.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 24-010 into law May 17, giving Colorado a  seat at the table of the commission that will govern the compact. The first commission meeting is expected to take place this fall. The Minnesota Legislature passed the compact May 19 and governor Tim Walz is expected to sign the bill shortly. 

ADA President-elect Brett H. Kessler, D.D.S., who is based in Denver, Colorado, said that this latest development is a “win for our profession that demonstrates what’s possible when we work with a shared focus.”

“Together — as dentists, hygienists, educators, and organized dentistry — we’ve made progress on a compact that empowers dental professionals to experience ease and freedom as they build their lives and careers,” he said. “The ADA is proud to be among the many who have taken a stand.”

According to Leah Schulz, D.D.S., president of the Colorado Dental Association, the Colorado Dental Association and Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association worked in collaboration to support the compact legislation. 

“Our respective associations work tirelessly to promote creative solutions to workforce development. By reducing barriers to licensure portability, Colorado dentists and dental hygienists will now enjoy greater mobility and less burden of maintaining multiple licenses in several states,” Dr. Schulz said, adding that both organizations will “continue to work together to ensure that Coloradans receive the greatest access to care by dentists and dental hygienists in our state.”

Colorado and Minnesota join Maine, Washington, Iowa, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin and Kansas in passing the compact. It was operationalized last month after the first seven states activated the compact.  

The implementation process for the compact is estimated to take approximately 18 to 24 months, meaning that practitioners in states participating in the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact cannot begin applying for compact privileges until implementation is complete. 

For more information, visit ddhcompact.org.