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SB 2878

AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by John Burke and 4 co-sponsors

Allows public-health dental hygienists to provide delegated preventive services in certain settings without direct dentist supervision, with Medicaid reimbursement and required col

06/10/2026 Signed by Governor
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Bill Summary · SB 2878

Summary: SB 2878 (Rhode Island) — Dentists and Dental Hygienists

Date Introduced: March 4, 2026
Committee: Senate Health & Human Services (EOHHS)
Status: Scheduled for hearing/consideration (as of May 1, 2026)

Main purpose and intent

  • Authorizes reimbursement for public-health dental hygienists operating in public-health settings to receive payment from third-party payors beyond Medicaid, such as other private insurance or programs like Medicare, under specified conditions.
  • Clarifies and expands the flexibility of hygienists to provide preventive dental services in public-health settings without direct or on-site supervision by a dentist, subject to board-approved delegable procedures.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Public-health hygienists and delegated procedures

    • Public-health dental hygienists (defined as licensed, practicing dental hygienists) may perform delegable dental-hygiene procedures in public-health settings without immediate or direct supervision by a dentist.
    • Delegable procedures must be those that the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry has authorized for delegation in private practice under general supervision.

  2. Public-health settings eligible for expanded practice

    • Settings include: residences for homebound patients; schools; nursing homes and long-term-care facilities; clinics; hospitals; community health centers licensed or certified by the Department of Health; mobile/portable dental-health programs licensed or certified by the Department of Health; Head Start programs; and other department-approved facilities or programs.

  3. Written collaborative agreements

    • Public-health hygienists must enter into a written collaborative agreement with a local or state government agency, an institution, or a licensed dentist.
    • The agreement ensures appropriate communication and consultation to safeguard patient health and safety before performing delegated procedures.

  4. Patient consent and referral requirements

    • Hygienists must provide a consent form to patients or their legal guardians describing services to be rendered and noting that these services do not replace a full dental examination by a dentist.
    • The consent form must inform patients that they should obtain a dental examination within 90 days after receiving a procedure under this section, and that a written referral and assessment of further dental needs should follow.

  5. Reimbursement and independence

    • Public-health dental hygienists shall be directly reimbursed for their services in public-health settings by Medicaid or Rhode Island’s state health insurance program, as permitted by federal Medicaid law.
    • They shall not seek reimbursement from other third-party payors, except as allowed for certain programs.
    • Hygienists shall not operate independently of a dentist, except in limited circumstances: a hygienist working for a local/state government agency/institution or in a mobile/portable prevention program licensed or certified by the Department of Health may seek reimbursement from other third-party payors.

  6. Effective date

    • The act would take effect upon passage.

Who/what is affected

  • Public-health dental hygienists: Gain expanded authority to provide delegable hygiene procedures in specified public-health settings without direct dentist supervision.
  • Public-health settings and programs: Including schools, home-based care, long-term-care facilities, mobile clinics, and licensed health facilities, which may employ or collaborate with public-health hygienists under the new framework.
  • Dentists: Retain oversight via collaborative agreements for public-health practice; the act does not grant independent practice rights to hygienists outside the public-health context.
  • Patients in public-health settings: Potentially benefit from expanded access to preventive dental services.
  • Reimbursement landscape: Enables direct reimbursement to hygienists from Medicaid and the state health program; broadens potential third-party reimbursement only in specific program contexts.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Introduced and referred to the Senate Health & Human Services committee.
  • Action in the 2026 session includes a scheduled hearing/consideration (per the action history).
  • Effective date: immediate upon passage.

Observations

  • The bill places emphasis on patient safety through written collaborative agreements and informed consent.
  • It seeks to improve access to preventive dental care in non-traditional settings by enabling reimbursed, delegated hygiene services while maintaining dentist oversight.
  • The reimbursement shift to include additional third-party payors is limited to defined public-health programs and contexts, aligning with federal Medicaid considerations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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