Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed Senate Bill 22 into law earlier in March, making Virginia the fifth state to join the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact.
The compact improves dental license portability across state lines, allowing dentists and dental hygienists to practice in all states that are part of the compact with one license instead of having to obtain a different license for each state, according to a March 20 news release from the American Dental Association.
The dental compact is being used as an avenue to alleviate the dental staffing shortages many states across the U.S. are experiencing.
Once seven states have enacted legislation to join, the compact becomes active. Iowa, Washington, Tennessee and Wisconsin are the four other states that have passed legislation to join the compact thus far.
In addition, 12 other states have introduced legislation to join: Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the release said.