New survey reveals strong public support for thorough dental licensing standards

Concord, NH (February 17, 2025) – New Hampshire Dentist and Dental Hygienists fear weak licensure requirements proposed in new legislation, and they’re not alone.

A new national survey reveals most Americans—including a strong majority of New Hampshire residents surveyed—oppose removing the hand skills test required by most states for dental professionals to be licensed. The poll, commissioned by the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB), shows strong public support for maintaining the highest standards in dental licensing.

The survey of 1,863 registered U.S. voters, fielded from December 30, 2024, to January 9, 2025, found that 82% of Americans agree hand skills examinations are necessary to assess a dentist’s ability to perform procedures safely. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.28 percentage points.

“Most people appear to want dentists to demonstrate their practical skills,” said Dr. Arthur Chen-Shu Jee, President of the AADB’s Board of Directors. “Two-thirds of those polled opposed efforts to exempt dentists from hand skills testing in order to practice dentistry.”

New Hampshire legislators are considering SB187-FN, the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact by the Council of State Governments. The compact would eliminate the hand skills exam requirement for a dental license. SB187-FN is being backed by a group of private investors who own corporate dental practices.

Dr. Neil Hiltunen, who has over 25 years in private practice and served 13 years on the New Hampshire Dental Board, recently expressed concerns about eliminating the hand skills exam. “The hand skill examination of candidates has existed for decades. The independent, third-party assessing is the gold standard of testing, and we should not drop that standard. I have seen, as an examiner, firsthand, mutilation of teeth by dental students who are deemed by their schools as competent and ready to be examined. A very few have failed a hand-skills examination multiple times and should not be trusted to perform basic procedures in our mouths,” Hiltunen said during a hearing of the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee on February 5, 2025.

For decades, New Hampshire law has required that dentists and dental hygienists pass a clinical hand skills exam to demonstrate their ability to competently perform basic dental procedures. This exam protects the public from practitioners who lack the necessary hand-eye coordination to safely treat dental patients.

The latest survey shows strong public opposition to change and support for maintaining high standards in dental licensing:

• More than two-thirds agree that current licensing standards should not be reduced
• Two-thirds oppose allowing dentists licensed under weaker standards in other states to practice in their state

“This survey confirms patients want to know that their dentists and dental hygienists can actually perform procedures competently and safely,” said Dr. Jee. “The hand skills test provides that assurance. Removing this safeguard allows untested dentists to practice, risking patient care. As we consider changes to licensing, we must remember these vital exams directly impact patient safety and public trust in our profession.”