MDHA Legislative Priorities 2026
Advocacy is necessary to achieve legislative success
Understanding the purpose of and need for a strong professional advocacy program is the first step in achieving legislative success. It is important to know what role the MDHA plays in these efforts, and more importantly, what role you play in this process.
You, as a member of MDHA, are an advocate for dental hygienists and for the patients you serve.
Upcoming and Potential Legislation
MDHA anticipates another bill supporting the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensure Compact during the 2026 legislative session. This Compact is designed to improve licensure portability for dental professionals, allowing them to practice in other states without the added burden of extra examinations or excessive fees.
We are also working to educate legislators about the role of dental hygienists, our scope of practice, and the rigorous educational requirements needed to enter our profession. This effort is especially important in light of a possible Missouri Dental Association (MDA)–backed bill that would make permanent the current pilot program allowing Oral Preventive Assistants (OPAs) to perform supragingival scaling and probing. Quality patient care depends on our comprehensive education and clinical training. A few weekend courses on supragingival scaling and probing cannot replace this preparation — and allowing such shortcuts poses risks to the oral and overall health of Missouri citizens.