Vendor Access Guide

Vendor Access for Independent RDH Practice Owners

Independent RDH practice owners are a vital part of Colorado’s oral health workforce. As this model continues to grow, it is essential that vendors, suppliers, and service companies provide equitable access to the tools, technology, and products RDHs need to deliver care.

CODHA is committed to advocating for fair, modern, and inclusive vendor policies that recognize the full legal scope of Colorado dental hygienists—including practice ownership, collaborative practice, teledentistry, ITR, and expanded public health roles.

This page highlights companies that actively support RDH-owned practices as well as companies whose current policies may limit access. Our goal is transparency, not criticism—so RDHs can plan effectively and vendors can see where change is needed.

Help Us Keep This List Accurate

Vendor policies change frequently—and we want to keep this page current and useful for all RDH practice owners.

If you’ve recently opened an account, been denied an account, or had a notable experience with a vendor, please take 1–2 minutes to share it:

📝 Submit a Vendor Update

Your input helps strengthen advocacy efforts and helps other hygienists navigate practice ownership with confidence.

Companies That Support Independent RDH Practices

These companies currently allow RDH-owned practices to establish accounts, purchase equipment, and access services without requiring a dentist-owned business. Policies are based on member experiences and current vendor guidelines.

Equipment, Supplies, & Consumables

  • Benco Dental
  • Darby Dental Supply
  • Safco Dental Supply
  • Patterson Dental (varies by region; CO is generally RDH-friendly)
  • Henry Schein (many RDHs have accounts; some equipment may require DDS orders)
  • Pearson Dental
  • Ultradent
  • SurgiTel
  • Zirc
  • Young Innovations
  • Kerr
  • Coltene
  • Voco
  • GC America
  • Elevate Oral Care (Silver Diamine Fluoride, etc.)

Radiography & Diagnostic Equipment

(These companies typically allow RDH-owned practices to purchase directly with EIN or license.)

  • Porter Instruments (nitrous units)
  • DNTLworks (portable dental units)
  • Nomad (KaVo Imaging)
  • DigiDoc (intraoral cameras)
  • Shick / DEXIS (varies by distributor, but not DDS-restricted)
  • ACTEON (PSP scanners & cameras)
  • Carestream (often through distributors)
  • Jazz Imaging (digital x-ray sensors. offers monthly renting/payment options)

Mobile/Portable Dentistry Companies

  • Basic Dental Solutions
  • DNTLworks (portable dental units)
  • MTI (mobile chairs, compressors)

Software / EHR / Teledentistry

  • Teledentix (Virtual and In-person Dental Care)
  • Tab32
  • Dentrix Ascend (RDH-friendly with documentation)
  • YAPI
  • Modento
  • Curve Dental (varies, but generally supportive)

Labs

  • Give us some names, now that RDH can complete lab orders (within our scope of practice)!

Financing & Leasing

  • Provide (practice financing)
  • Delta Financial
  • Stern Leasing
  • National Equipment Finance

Most of these do not require DDS ownership—just EIN, license, and credit.

Dental Insurance & Payer Partners

(These plans are known to enroll RDH-owned practices or credential RDH providers according to Colorado law and national RDH reports. Policies may vary by contract type.)

  • Health First Colorado (Medicaid) — administered by DentaQuest
  • Colorado Access
  • DentaQuest Commercial Plans
  • Delta Dental (varies by plan; PPO and Premier may require a contracting dentist) *Does not list RDH as providers in their information sent to clients
  • UnitedHealthcare Dental
  • MetLife Dental
  • Guardian

Examples of supportive policy types:

  • Allows accounts for RDH-owned businesses
  • Accepts EIN, business license, or NPI
  • Provides equipment, supplies, or service contracts without requiring a DDS owner
  • Offers training, service, or financing directly to RDH practices

If you have a vendor who supports RDH practice access, please share it using the form below.

Companies With Restricted Access Policies

These companies currently require a dentist account holder, restrict equipment purchases, or have policies that limit access for RDH-owned practices.

  • Darby Dental Supply
    RDH practice owners have reported restrictions on purchasing certain products — including local anesthesia — due to Darby’s internal DDS-only requirements. Some RDHs have also experienced limitations when attempting to purchase dental equipment or higher-risk devices. Other product categories remain accessible.
  • Midwest Dental Supply
    Multiple RDH practice owners report being unable to open accounts without providing a dentist’s license or demonstrating DDS ownership of the practice.
  • Burkhart Dental Supply
    RDH practice owners have reported restrictions on equipment purchases and account approvals, often being redirected to work through a collaborating dentist.
  • Solmetex (Amalgam Separators)
    RDH owners frequently report being required to obtain DDS signatures or provide documentation that the facility is dentist-owned before establishing a compliance contract.
  • A-dec
    Reports indicate that A-dec typically restricts sales of chairs, delivery units, and related equipment to dentist-led or DDS-owned clinics, with RDH owners often unable to complete purchases.
  • Planmeca
    Policies vary depending on distributor, but many RDHs report being unable to purchase imaging equipment or chairs without DDS ownership or DDS-based account credentials.
  • DentalEZ
    RDH practice owners have reported limitations in purchasing compressors, chairs, and certain equipment categories due to DDS-only requirements.
  • Carestream (via certain distributors)
    The manufacturer may be flexible, but RDH owners commonly report that specific distributors impose DDS-only purchase restrictions for imaging equipment.
  • Sesame Communications
    Historically, RDH practice owners report difficulties opening accounts due to dentist-led practice requirements in website or communications service contracts.
  • Curve Hero (Practice Management Software)
    Mixed reports from RDH owners: some have been approved, while others have encountered DDS-only credentialing requirements depending on region, representative, or contract structure.
  • Aetna Dental
    RDH practice owners have reported being unable to complete credentialing because of DDS-only contracting pathways or requirements that a dentist be listed as the credentialed provider.

This information is based on RDH practice-owner reports submitted to CODHA and publicly available vendor policies. Policies may change at any time and may vary by region or distributor.

CODHA publishes this information to increase transparency for RDH practice owners. These notes reflect reports submitted by hygienists and publicly available policy information. Vendor policies may shift over time or vary by representative or region. CODHA encourages all companies to review their policies to ensure they align with Colorado dental hygiene practice regulations and support equitable access to oral health care.

Examples of restricted policy types:

  • Requires a dentist’s license for account approval
  • Will not open a business account for RDH-owned practices
  • Does not sell specific equipment (e.g., radiography, compressors, curing lights) to RDHs
  • Limits service agreements or funding options to DDS-owned clinics

These policies may vary by region and are subject to change. CODHA encourages all vendors to review and update policies to align with Colorado law and the expanding role of RDH providers.

Why This Matters

When vendors restrict access based on outdated assumptions about dental hygiene practice models, it creates barriers to care in exactly the communities that need services most—rural areas, public health settings, long-term care, early childhood programs, and underserved populations.

Colorado law recognizes RDH-owned practices. Vendors should too.
Equitable access to equipment and supplies strengthens:

  • Workforce expansion

  • Teledentistry programs

  • ITR clinics

  • Prevention-focused care

  • Public health initiatives

  • Patient access and continuity of care

Industry policies that support RDH autonomy align with Colorado’s oral health goals and help close access-to-care gaps statewide.

Help Us Keep This List Accurate

Vendor policies change frequently—and we want to keep this page current and useful for all RDH practice owners.

If you’ve recently opened an account, been denied an account, or had a notable experience with a vendor, please take 1–2 minutes to share it:

📝 Submit a Vendor Update

Your input helps strengthen advocacy efforts and helps other hygienists navigate practice ownership with confidence.

Vendor Note

CODHA welcomes conversation with any company wishing to expand access for RDH-owned practices. Many vendors have updated their policies after reviewing state regulations, understanding collaborative practice models, or speaking directly with RDH providers.

If your company would like guidance on aligning policies with Colorado law, please contact us—we are happy to help.

Disclaimer

This resource is based on member reports and publicly available vendor policies.
Inclusion in either category does not imply wrongdoing or endorsement.
Policies may vary by region and may change at any time.

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