AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS (Permits reimbursement for dental hygienists from "other insurance" or a third-party payor such as Medicare.)

S2878

2026 -- S 2878
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LC005190
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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 Gallo, Tikoian, Burke, LaMountain, and Felag

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Health & Human Services
(EOHHS)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 5-31.1-39 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-31.1 entitled "Dentists
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and Dental Hygienists" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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5-31.1-39. Public health hygienists.
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(a) Any public health dental hygienist, which for purposes of this chapter means any
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practicing registered dental hygienist who may perform dental-hygiene procedures in a public-
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health setting subject to conditions adopted by the Rhode Island board of examiners in dentistry,
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may perform in a public-health setting, without the immediate or direct supervision or direction of
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a dentist, any procedure or provide any service that is within the dental-hygiene scope of practice
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that has been authorized and adopted by the Rhode Island board of examiners in dentistry as a
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delegable procedure for a dental hygienist under general supervision in a private practice setting.
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(b) Public-health settings shall, for purposes of this section, include, but are not limited to,
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residences of the homebound, schools, nursing home and long-term-care facilities, clinics,
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hospitals, medical facilities, community health centers licensed or certified by the department of
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health, mobile and portable dental-health programs licensed or certified by the department of health
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and operated by a local or state agency, head-start programs, and any other facilities or programs
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deemed appropriate by the department of health.
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(c) Any public-health hygienist shall enter into a written, collaborative agreement with a
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local or state government agency or institution or with a licensed dentist who states that he or she

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shall be able to provide the appropriate level of communication and consultation with the dental
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hygienist to ensure patient health and safety prior to performing any procedure or providing any
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service under this section. The written, collaborative agreement will follow the appropriate
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guidelines as determined and established by the Rhode Island board of examiners in dentistry.
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(d) Any public-health dental hygienist shall provide to the patient, or to the patient’s legal
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guardian, a consent form to be signed by the patient or legal guardian. The consent form shall be
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consistent with current department of health policies that describes services to be rendered and
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explains that services rendered are not a substitute for a dental examination by a dentist. The
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consent form shall also inform the patient or legal guardian that the patient should obtain a dental
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examination by a dentist within ninety (90) days after undergoing a procedure authorized pursuant
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to this section. The patient or legal guardian shall also obtain written referral to a dentist and an
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assessment of further dental needs.
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(e) The public-health dental hygienist shall be directly reimbursed for services
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administered in a public-health setting by Medicaid or the state healthcare insurance program
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except as required by federal Medicaid law,
but shall not

and may
seek reimbursement from any
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other insurance or third-party payor. A public-health dental hygienist shall not operate
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independently of a dentist, except for a dental hygienist working for a local or state government
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agency or institution or practicing in a mobile or portable prevention program licensed or certified
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by the department of health. In such cases, the local or state government agency or institution or
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mobile or portable prevention program licensed or certified by the department of health may seek
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reimbursement from any other third-party payor.
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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 permit reimbursement for dental hygienists from "other insurance" or a
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third-party payor such as Medicare.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005190
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