Initial dental licensure is an important topic for all dental students to understand. Decisions made today will directly influence how you receive your license.

Licensure can be a complex topic. It is state-driven, meaning each state determines the requirements for receiving a license in that state. Most dental licenses are only valid in the state in which you became licensed. ASDA advocates for efforts to increase licensure portability and supports interstate dental compacts.

Prior to 2020, most states’ dental licensure exam were performed on a live human subject. Testing on a human opens poses various ethical, reliability and validity concerns.Read more about ASDA’s ideal licensure exam below to see how ASDA has advocated for manikin-based exams below.