Madison – Dentistry Examining Board member, Dr. Matthew Bistan, has been chosen to lead the national Dentist and Dental Hygienist (DDH) Compact.
Dr. Bistan was elected by his peers to be Chairperson of the Compact Commission, which is made up of a representative from the 10 states currently participating in the DDH Compact.
“I am honored to represent Wisconsin in the Dentist and Dental Hygiene compact and be elected its Chair,” said Dr. Bistan. “The DDH will attract licensees from participating states and allow licensees of Wisconsin the flexibility to practice in other states. I look forward to increasing the access to care for the citizens of Wisconsin through the portability of the DDH license privilege.”
“Wisconsin continues to be a leader in the innovative, efficient, and safe licensing of professionals,” added Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Secretary Dan Hereth, whose agency administers state credentialing boards. “Dr. Bistan’s leadership on the Dentist Examining Board included the creation of a diploma privilege that will keep more Wisconsin-trained dentists in the state. I’m sure his commitment to innovation and safety will be of great benefit to the Compact Commission, and his election by his national peers reflects his demonstrated leadership in dental regulation.”
Dr. Bistan was elected during the January meeting of the Commission.
The DDH Compact is the result of a partnership between The Council of State Governments, the American Dental Association, and the American Dental Hygienist Association. Compacts are designed to help address workforce shortages in a particular profession. The DDH Compact is a legally binding agreement among states that establish an optional, additional pathway for dentists and dental hygienists to practice in states where they do not hold a license. A state must enact the compact model legislation via a state’s legislative process to join.
The Compact Commission met for the first time last August and the DDH Compact implementation process is expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
Dr. Bistan is a partner at Signature Dental in Sheboygan. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a graduate of the Marquette University School Dentistry. He recently served as Chair of the Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board from 2019 to 2024.
