CMDL: Modernizing Dental Licensure

The Coalition for Modernizing Dental Licensure has concluded its work after successfully accomplishing its primary goals. Since 2018 the Coalition worked:

• To eliminate single-encounter, procedure-based patient examinations, replacing them with clinical assessments that have stronger validity and reliability evidence.
• To increase licensure portability to allow for professional mobility and improved access to care.

In a letter to partner organizations, the Executive Committee of the Coalition thanked everyone involved for their dedication, engagement, and support of the mission.

Additionally, the Executive Committee provided a final report, which highlights CMDL's history, mission, accomplishments, and legacy, while documenting the significant contributions made by our partners and stakeholders.

CMDL is a coalition of over 130 national and state organizations, institutions and programs representing dentistry, dental education, dental specialties, dental hygiene and nonprofit groups working to improve public access to oral health care.

Since its founding in 2018, the Coalition has focused on two essential goals:

• To eliminate single-encounter, procedure-based patient examinations, replacing them with clinical assessments that have stronger validity and reliability evidence.
• To increase licensure portability to allow for professional mobility and improved access to care.

Coalition founders based these objectives on findings shared by the Task Force on Assessment of Readiness to Practice (TARP). These recommendations continue to guide the Coalition’s work as we unite to modernize licensure practices for dentists and dental hygienists.

Read the TARP report