S 2862

2026 -- S 2862 SUBSTITUTE A
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LC005298/SUB A
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  STATE  OF  RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
  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:
1SECTION 1. Section 5-31.1-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-31.1 entitled "Dentists
2 and Dental Hygienists" is hereby amended to read as follows:
35-31.1-22. Limited registrations.
4(a) An applicant for limited registration under this chapter who furnishes the board with
5 satisfactory proof that the applicant is eighteen (18) years of age or older and of good moral
6 character, that the applicant has graduated from a dental school accredited by the American Dental
7 Association Commission on Dental Accreditation or its designated agency and approved by the
8 board, and that the applicant has been appointed an intern, resident, fellow, or dental officer in a
9 hospital or other institution maintained by the state, or by a city or town, or in a hospital or clinic
10 that is incorporated under the laws of this state or in a clinic that is affiliated with a hospital licensed
11 by the department of health, or in an outpatient clinic operated by the state, may, upon the payment
12 as set forth in § 23-1-54, be registered by the board as a hospital dental officer for any time that the
13 board prescribes; but that limited registration entitles the applicant to practice dentistry in the
14 hospital or other institution designated on his or her certificate of limited registration, or outside
15 that hospital or other institution for the treatment, under the supervision of one of its dental officers
16 who is a licensed dentist, in the state of persons accepted by it as patients, or in any hospital,
17 institution, clinic, or program affiliated for training purposes with the hospital, institution, or clinic
18 designated on this certificate, which affiliation is approved by the board, and in any case under
1 regulations established by that hospital, institution, or clinic. Each hospital, institution, or clinic
2 shall annually submit to the board a list of training programs that comply with the terms of this
3 section. Limited registration under this section may be revoked at any time by the board. The board
4 and/or the director may promulgate any rules and regulations that it deems necessary to carry out
5 the provisions of this section.
6(b)(1) Foreign-trained dentists are eligible for limited licenses provided the dentist:
7(i) Graduated from a reputable dental college as defined in this section;
8(ii) Practices under the direct supervision of a supervisory dentist for the first six (6) months
9 of practice and then be eligible for general supervision as determined by the supervising dentist;
10 and
11(iii) Has passed an examination as determined by the board of examiners in dentistry.
12(2) Foreign trained dentists with limited licenses are excluded from working in a private
13 practice setting.
14(c) Foreign-trained dental hygienists are eligible for limited licenses, provided the dental
15 hygienist:
16(1) Graduated from a reputable dental hygiene college as defined in this section;
17(2) Practices under the supervision of a supervising dentist; and
18(3) Has passed an examination as determined by the board of examiners in dentistry.
19(d) Limited registration or licensure under this section may be revoked at any time by the
20 director of the department of health or by the board.
21(e) A dental college shall be considered reputable which possesses the following
22 qualifications:
23(1) It shall be incorporated and authorized by its charter to confer degrees of doctor of
24 dental medicine, doctor of dental surgery, or doctor of dental science;
25(2) It shall have a competent faculty and corps of instructors. The teaching staff shall
26 deliver a comprehensive and satisfactory course of lectures supplemented by adequate clinical and
27 laboratory exercises in all subjects pertaining to modern dentistry;
28(3) It shall give a course of not less than four (4) separate academic years to matriculants
29 who are graduates of accredited high schools or who present proof of equivalent training, or a
30 course of not less than three (3) separate academic years to matriculants who present satisfactory
31 proof of having successfully completed two (2) years of appropriate pre-dental training in a college
32 or university authorized to grant degrees. Each academic year shall consist of not less than thirty-
33 two (32) weeks and said course is to be reviewed by a credentialing agency approved by the board;
34 and
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1(4) The administrative policy of the dental college shall be such as to accomplish the
2 requirements of this section.
3(f) A dental hygiene college shall be considered reputable which possesses the following
4 qualifications:
5(1) It shall be incorporated and authorized by its charter to confer, at a minimum, an
6 associate degree in dental hygiene;
7(2) It shall have a competent faculty and corps of instructors. The teaching staff shall
8 deliver a comprehensive and satisfactory course of lectures supplemented by adequate clinical and
9 laboratory exercises in all subjects pertaining to modern dental hygiene;
10(3) It shall give a course of not less than two (2) separate academic years to matriculants
11 who are graduates of accredited high schools or who present proof of equivalent training. Each
12 academic year shall consist of not less than thirty-two (32) weeks; and
13(4) The administrative policy of the dental hygiene college shall be such as to accomplish
14 the requirements of this section.
15(g) The board shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the
16 provisions of this section by December 1, 2027.
17SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL
  HYGIENISTS
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1This act would allow foreign-trained dentists and dental hygienists to obtain limited
2 licenses if they graduate from reputable dental colleges or universities, work under a supervising
3 dentist, and pass a board-approved exam.
4This act would take effect upon passage.
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