Internationally Trained Dentists Becoming Licensed Dental Hygienists

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Internationally Trained Dentists becoming Licensed Dental Hygienists

Published on Apr 9, 2026

Virginia’s HB 1036 and SB 282, which permit the Board of Dentistry to license dental hygienists who were eligible to practice dentistry outside the United States, are now enrolled and set to become law effective July 1, 2026.

However, the Board must promulgate regulations to implement the new law—outlining criteria such as foreign-education assessments, supervision levels, and minimum training requirements (e.g., clinical exam requirements).

Effective July 2, 2026, HB 1036 and SB 282 authorize the Board to bypass the standard Administrative Process Act (APA) rulemaking steps—such as issuing a Notice of Intended Regulatory Action, holding public comment periods, undergoing review by the Department of Planning and Budget, and obtaining Executive Branch sign-off—which typically can extend over a 24-month timeframe.

Even though these expedited procedures remove the usual regulatory timeline, the implementation of new regulations will still depend on the Board’s ability to convene and act after that effective date. At present, the Board has not yet established a projected timeline for when these regulations will be finalized and put into effect.

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