DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 543 Original 2025 Regular Session McMahen
Abstract: Enacts the Interstate Dental and Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact.
Proposed law provides for the creation of Interstate Dental and Dental Hygiene Licensure Compact.
Proposed law provides that the purpose of the compact is to expedite licensure and increase access
to dental healthcare through licensure boards acting in cooperation.
Proposed law requires the compact to do all of the following:
(1)Allows for expedited licensure portability and ease of movement of licensees between states.
(2)Allows each state to continue to regulate the practice of dentistry and dental hygiene within
its borders.
(3)Creates a common goal of protecting the public by ensuring a uniform licensure standard and
sharing of information in the compact.
(4)Allows for licensure in every participating state by requiring passage of the uniform licensure
examination that assesses psychomotor and cognitive dental skills and is currently accepted
in fifty state licensing jurisdictions and United State territories.
(5)Gives licensees one location to maintain professional documentation to expedite license
transfers in states, hospitals, or institutional credentialing.
(6)Facilitates a faster licensure process for relocation or separation of military members and
their dependent spouses; there are no compact fees for military members or their spouses.
(7)Alleviates a duplicative process for licensure among multiple states.
(8)Saves applicants money by not having to obtain duplicate documents from a source that
charges for the documents.
Proposed law defines applicable terms.
Proposed law prohibits each member state within the compact from enacting a compact that is
materially different from this compact. Proposed law establishes the powers and duties of the member states and the commission. Proposed
law also establishes certain criteria for membership, voting, and meetings. Proposed law provides
for member states obligations and duties to the commission, such as providing necessary and
required documentation and data.
Proposed law requires a dentist or dental hygienist, who is applies for compact license privileges,
to satisfy necessary dentistry requirements as provided by the compact. Proposed law further
provides other eligibility requirements a dentist or dental hygienist must satisfy in order to be in
compliance with the compact.
Proposed law provides that each licensee holding a compact license privilege shall be subject to and
comply with the laws and regulations of the member state where the licensee practices under a
compact license privilege.
Proposed law provides that each licensee holding a compact license privilege shall be subject to the
jurisdiction and authority of the member state dental board of the state where the licensee practices.
Proposed law provides that a licensee holding a compact license privilege may have an adverse
action taken against him by any of the following:
(1)The member state dental board of the member state where he is practicing with a compact
license privilege.
(2)The licensee's home state.
(3)The state licensing authority of a state that is not a member state from where the licensee
holds a license.
Proposed law provides that no compact fee shall be required of any active-duty military member or
his spouse up to one year after separation from the service. Proposed law also allows a member state
issuing a compact license privilege to waive fees for active-duty military members or their spouses.
Proposed law establishes the procedure for conducting joint investigations and disciplinary actions.
Proposed law allows insurance companies and entities verifying documents for licensing purposes
to seek information from the clearinghouse for public record documents.
Proposed law requires the commission to promulgate any reasonable rules necessary for the effective
and efficient implementation of the compact. Proposed law further provides that the rules issued by
the commission shall have the force of law in each member state.
Proposed law establishes provisions for governmental oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement
of the compact.
Proposed law provides that the compact shall come into effect on the date on which the compact statute is enacted into law in the fifth member state. Proposed law further establishes provisions for
a state's withdrawal and dissolution from the compact.
Proposed law establishes certain provisions for rulemaking and severability.
Proposed law further provides that nothing in proposed law shall prevent or inhibit the enforcement
of any other law of a member state that is not inconsistent with the compact.
Proposed law provides that any laws, statutes, regulations, or other legal requirements in a member
state in conflict with the compact are superseded to the extent of the conflict.
Proposed law exempts certain provisions of proposed law from public records requests.
(Amends R.S. 44:4.1(B)(24); Adds R.S. 37:799)