AADB meeting focuses on dental regulation and rising competency complaints

By AI, Created 6:36 PM UTC, May 26, 2026, /AGP/ – The American Association of Dental Boards held its Mid-Year Meeting in Chicago on April 24-25, where regulators discussed growing complaints tied to competency and standard-of-care issues. The group also elected four new regional caucus chairs and pointed to its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., in October.

Why it matters: - Dental boards are facing more public complaints tied to competency to practice and adherence to board-established practice guidelines. - The Chicago meeting gave regulators a forum to compare how states handle disciplinary cases and investigative work. - The discussions matter for patients, practitioners, and state boards that set and enforce standards of care.

What happened: - The American Association of Dental Boards hosted its Mid-Year Meeting on April 24-25 in Chicago. - Dental board members and stakeholders from across the country attended two days of discussion on regulation issues. - The program centered on a panel on competency and standard-of-care issues in dental regulation. - An attorney roundtable followed, led by two board legal counsel who discussed disciplinary cases and investigations. - The AADB elected four new regional caucus chairs. - Dr. Frank Maggio of Illinois will lead the North Caucus. - Dr. Melodie Jones of Alabama will lead the South Caucus. - Dr. Russel Chin of Rhode Island will lead the East Caucus. - Dr. Brady Moorehead of Texas will lead the West Caucus.

The details: - Regulators shared how different states approach complaints involving a dentist’s competency to practice. - Attendees also discussed cases tied to following board-established practice guidelines. - The attorney roundtable focused on the investigative effort required to address disciplinary matters. - AADB Chair Dr. Clifford Feingold said dental boards are asking harder questions and sharing better solutions. - Feingold said dental regulation plays an important role in protecting the public. - AADB Executive Director Kimber Cobb said the meetings help stakeholders and board members network and learn about issues affecting their colleagues.

Between the lines: - The focus on competency and standard-of-care complaints suggests regulators are dealing with more complex enforcement questions. - Electing four regional caucus chairs may help AADB broaden input from different parts of the country. - The organization is using its meetings to strengthen coordination among boards as disciplinary pressure rises.

What’s next: - The AADB’s 136th Annual Meeting is scheduled for Oct. 17-18 in Washington, D.C. - The annual meeting will take place as part of the Dental Testing and Regulatory Summit. - The summit will bring together dental regulators, educators, and stakeholders. - AADB says the event will focus on advancing public health, safety, and welfare through dental regulation.

The bottom line: - AADB is signaling that dental regulation is moving toward more collaboration, more scrutiny, and more shared standards across states.