2026 -- S 2862 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL

HYGIENISTS

     Introduced By: Senators Vargas, Quezada, Murray, Bell, Urso, Lauria, Thompson,
DiMario, and Valverde

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-31.1-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-31.1 entitled "Dentists

and Dental Hygienists" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-31.1-22. Limited registrations.

     (a) An applicant for limited registration under this chapter who furnishes the board with

satisfactory proof that the applicant is eighteen (18) years of age or older and of good moral

character, that the applicant has graduated from a dental school accredited by the American Dental

Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or its designated agency and approved by the

board, and that the applicant has been appointed an intern, resident, fellow, or dental officer in a

hospital or other institution maintained by the state, or by a city or town, or in a hospital or clinic

that is incorporated under the laws of this state or in a clinic that is affiliated with a hospital licensed

by the department of health, or in an outpatient clinic operated by the state, may, upon the payment

as set forth in § 23-1-54, be registered by the board as a hospital dental officer for any time that the

board prescribes; but that limited registration entitles the applicant to practice dentistry in the

hospital or other institution designated on his or her certificate of limited registration, or outside

that hospital or other institution for the treatment, under the supervision of one of its dental officers

who is a licensed dentist, in the state of persons accepted by it as patients, or in any hospital,

institution, clinic, or program affiliated for training purposes with the hospital, institution, or clinic

designated on this certificate, which affiliation is approved by the board, and in any case under

regulations established by that hospital, institution, or clinic. Each hospital, institution, or clinic

shall annually submit to the board a list of training programs that comply with the terms of this

section. Limited registration under this section may be revoked at any time by the board. The board

and/or the director may promulgate any rules and regulations that it deems necessary to carry out

the provisions of this section.

     (b)(1) Foreign-trained dentists are eligible for limited licenses provided the dentist:

     (i) Graduated from a reputable dental college as defined in this section;

     (ii) Practices under the direct supervision of a supervisory dentist for the first six (6) months

of practice and then be eligible for general supervision as determined by the supervising dentist;

and

     (iii) Has passed an examination as determined by the board of examiners in dentistry.

     (2) Foreign trained dentists with limited licenses are excluded from working in a private

practice setting.

     (c) Foreign-trained dental hygienists are eligible for limited licenses, provided the dental

hygienist:

     (1) Graduated from a reputable dental hygiene college as defined in this section;

     (2) Practices under the supervision of a supervising dentist; and

     (3) Has passed an examination as determined by the board of examiners in dentistry.

     (d) Limited registration or licensure under this section may be revoked at any time by the

director of the department of health or by the board.

     (e) A dental college shall be considered reputable which possesses the following

qualifications:

     (1) It shall be incorporated and authorized by its charter to confer degrees of doctor of

dental medicine, doctor of dental surgery, or doctor of dental science;

     (2) It shall have a competent faculty and corps of instructors. The teaching staff shall

deliver a comprehensive and satisfactory course of lectures supplemented by adequate clinical and

laboratory exercises in all subjects pertaining to modern dentistry;

     (3) It shall give a course of not less than four (4) separate academic years to matriculants

who are graduates of accredited high schools or who present proof of equivalent training, or a

course of not less than three (3) separate academic years to matriculants who present satisfactory

proof of having successfully completed two (2) years of appropriate pre-dental training in a college

or university authorized to grant degrees. Each academic year shall consist of not less than thirty-

two (32) weeks and said course is to be reviewed by a credentialing agency approved by the board;

and

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     (4) The administrative policy of the dental college shall be such as to accomplish the

requirements of this section.

     (f) A dental hygiene college shall be considered reputable which possesses the following

qualifications:

     (1) It shall be incorporated and authorized by its charter to confer, at a minimum, an

associate degree in dental hygiene;

     (2) It shall have a competent faculty and corps of instructors. The teaching staff shall

deliver a comprehensive and satisfactory course of lectures supplemented by adequate clinical and

laboratory exercises in all subjects pertaining to modern dental hygiene;

     (3) It shall give a course of not less than two (2) separate academic years to matriculants

who are graduates of accredited high schools or who present proof of equivalent training. Each

academic year shall consist of not less than thirty-two (32) weeks; and

     (4) The administrative policy of the dental hygiene college shall be such as to accomplish

the requirements of this section.

     (g) The board shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the

provisions of this section by December 1, 2027.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL

HYGIENISTS

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     This act would allow foreign-trained dentists and dental hygienists to obtain limited

licenses if they graduate from reputable dental colleges or universities, work under a supervising

dentist, and pass a board-approved exam.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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