The United States is facing a severe shortage of dental professionals. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 60 million Americans live in dental health professional shortage areas (HSPAs), which lack enough dentists to meet the oral health needs of residents.
This challenge is not just about teeth. Studies show that oral health is closely related to overall health, and dental diseases are often associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
While increasing investment in dental education and training is critical, many families living in “dental deserts” cannot wait for new dentists who will graduate in the next few years.
Due to the shortage of dentists, patients often have to wait weeks or even months for basic treatment. Some people give up treatment and their condition worsens.
To alleviate this problem, states are joining the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact (DDHC) to promote cross-state practice.
The core concept of DDHC is that once a dentist or dental hygienist is licensed in a member state, he or she can practice in all states that join the agreement without having to apply for a license repeatedly.
This system does not mean automatic licensing, but rather simplifies the licensing process for qualified practitioners while ensuring the quality of care, thereby reducing administrative costs and improving access to care.
At the same time, DDHC retains the authority of states to manage licensing conditions. For example, if a state has additional certification requirements for specific techniques such as anesthesia, the DDHC mechanism does not intervene.
Unlike other centrally managed interstate agreements, DDHC’s management committee is composed of representatives from member states to ensure that local regulatory power is not weakened.
The DDHC model refers to the experience of the Interstate Medical Licensing Compact (IMLC). IMLC, which now has 39 states participating, provides a viable path to promote telemedicine and cross-state physician practice. Today, DDHC is also playing a similar role in the field of dentistry.
This initiative has received broad support from major dental organizations, including the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA), and the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO).
These organizations agree that DDHC is a practical solution to the dental shortage, especially for remote and resource-poor communities.
So far, 12 states have passed legislation to join DDHC, and more states are promoting relevant legislation. ADSO said it will continue to work with policymakers and regulators to promote more states to join and expand the scope of practice.
Currently, about one-sixth of the U.S. population cannot obtain necessary dental care. If more states can join DDHC as soon as possible, it will greatly increase these people’s access to dental services.
Although DDHC is not the only means to solve the dental shortage, it provides a practical tool to quickly improve the current situation.