SCS/SB 988 - This act establishes the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact ("Compact"), which facilitates the interstate practice of dentistry and dental hygiene and provides for dentists and dental hygienists licensed in a participating state the ability to practice in other participating states. The Compact sets forth the requirements to be met in order for a state to join and the requirements for a dentist or dental hygienist to obtain and exercise the ability to practice in other participating states. The Compact further provides that a dentist or dental hygienist with compact privilege shall function within the scope of practice authorized by the participating state in which they seek to practice and shall be subject to that state's regulatory authority. A dentist or dental hygienist whose privilege in a participating state is encumbered or removed is not eligible for compact privilege in other participating states until the encumbrance or removal has passed and all requirements are met. Additionally, the Compact creates the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact Commission ("Commission"), which is a joint government agency of the participating states tasked with administering and implementing the Compact. Each participating state shall have one Commissioner, who shall be selected within sixty days by the licensing authority of the participating state. Additionally, there shall be an Executive Board of the Commission, composed of seven Commissioners, to act on behalf of the Commission. The act provides for the powers and duties of the Commission, including the development and maintenance of a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure, adverse actions, and investigative information on all licensees and applicants. The Commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each participating state and impose fees on licensees for the compact privilege in order to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the Commission and its staff. Upon enactment, the Compact shall be reviewed by the Commission to determine if it is materially different from the Model Compact and whether the state qualifies for participation in the Compact. Any state that adopts the Compact subsequent to the Commission’s initial adoption of the rules and bylaws shall be subject to the rules and bylaws existing on the date on which the Compact becomes law. Any participating state may withdraw from the Compact by repealing the Compact, but such withdrawal shall not take effect until 180 days after the enactment of the repeal. Finally, the Compact shall be binding upon participating states and shall supersede any conflict with state law. This act is identical to provisions in HCS/SB 1092 (2026) and is similar to provisions in HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2026), in HB 1847 (2026), in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), in HB 56 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 61 (2025), SB 327 (2025), in HB 1031 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), in SS/SB 778 (2024), and in HB 2075 (2024). KATIE O'BRIEN