Board adopts NOIRA to set parameters for Dentist and Dental Hygienists Compact

The Virginia Board of Dentistry on June 13 adopted a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) to implement parameters for a Dentist and Dental Hygienists Compact. Erin Barrett, Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, outlined recommended elements: conforming changes to state regulations, a fee structure for practicing in Virginia under a Compact privilege, renewal requirements for Compact privilege holders, and incorporation of Compact privilege holders into the Board’s disciplinary framework. Margaret F. Lemaster moved to adopt the NOIRA; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously by members present.

The NOIRA will begin the rule-development process to align Virginia’s regulations with Compact rules and to define how practitioners relying on a Compact privilege will be licensed, renewed and disciplined in Virginia. The Board did not adopt final Compact rules at this meeting; the NOIRA initiates public rulemaking steps required by state administrative process.

Why it matters: A Compact would allow practitioners meeting Compact criteria to practice across member states under a privilege, affecting mobility for dentists and dental hygienists and requiring Virginia to set fees and renewal procedures for such privileges.

What’s next: The Department of Health Professions will publish the NOIRA, and any proposed regulatory text and comment periods will follow according to DHP’s regulatory schedule.