Rhode Island Board of Dentistry

The Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry is created within the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) under R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-31.1-2. The Board is composed of 16 members appointed by the Governor:

• 8 licensed dentists — no more than 3 may be dental specialists recognized by the American Dental Association, and at least 1 of those specialists must be an oral and maxillofacial surgeon
• 4 public members not associated with the dental field
• 2 licensed dental hygienists
• The chief of the RIDOH Office of Dental Public Health, who serves as an ex-officio member
• 1 certified dental assistant

Under 2025 amendments to R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-31.1-2 (P.L. 2025, ch. 134 and ch. 135, effective June 24, 2025), the Board's composition was expanded to add the certified dental assistant seat alongside the ex-officio dental public health chief.

Members are appointed for three-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive full terms; a former member becomes eligible for reappointment after a lapse of at least one year. The Director of Health appoints a chairperson (who must be a licensed Rhode Island dentist), a vice-chairperson, and a secretary from among the Board's members. The Board meets at least monthly and does not compensate members for their service.

The Board ensures that dentists, dental hygienists, and other dental professionals practicing in Rhode Island meet licensure requirements and comply with the state's dental practice statutes (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-31.1) and regulations (216-RICR-40-05-2).

The Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry, through RIDOH, issues the following license and permit categories:

• Dentist
• Dental Hygienist
• Public Health Dental Hygienist (PHDH) — practices under a written collaborative agreement with a dentist or a state/local government health agency
• Dentist-Limited
• Dental Academic Limited License / Academic Faculty (Limited)
• Hospital Dental Officer (Limited)
• Dental Volunteer
• Certified Maxillofacial Surgery Assistant — DAANCE-certified (Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination)
• Controlled Substances Registration (CSR)
• Dental Anesthesia Facility permit, plus separate sedation-level permits for general/deep sedation, moderate sedation, minimal sedation, and nitrous oxide
• X-Ray Dental Facility permit

Dental hygienists may also obtain specialty permits to administer local anesthesia and/or nitrous oxide, each requiring a CDCA-administered examination or Board-approved equivalent.

Rhode Island dental license applications are processed by RIDOH on behalf of the Board of Examiners in Dentistry. Initial applications are submitted on Board-provided forms, available at health.ri.gov/dentistry, along with required supporting documents.

Qualifications for licensure as a dentist

• Be of good moral character and at least 18 years old
• Be a graduate of a dental school accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (or its designated agency) and approved by the Board
• Pass the required examinations, or qualify for endorsement (see below)
• Be in good standing in every state where licensed, including a Board query to the National Practitioner Data Bank

Examination pathway

Applicants by examination must have passed the Joint Commission on National Dental Examination (Parts I and II) and the ADEX exam, including its periodontal component, within 5 years of applying for Rhode Island licensure — or a Board-approved equivalent examination scored at 75% or higher using the Commission on Dental Competency Assessment's (CDCA) weighting methodology.

Out-of-state licensees (endorsement)

Under 216-RICR-40-05-2 § 2.5(A)(1)(c)(3), an applicant may qualify for licensure by endorsement by holding a current license in good standing to practice dentistry in another state for the five (5) years immediately before applying in Rhode Island, provided that state required successful completion of a clinical examination that was not part of the applicant's dental school training program.

Required application documents

• A state driver's license, state ID card, or comparable photo identification showing birthdate
• Official dental school transcripts and/or verification of graduation from the dean or registrar
• National board exam results, submitted with the application or directly by the National Dental Examination Commission
• ADEX (or other approved) exam results, submitted directly by the CDCA or the applicable testing organization
• Verification of good standing in every state where the applicant is or has been licensed
• The non-refundable application fee (see Fees and license renewal)

Rhode Island statutes governing dentistry are at R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5, Chapter 31.1, and the Board's regulations are at 216-RICR-40-05-2.

Rhode Island continuing education (CE) requirements are set out in 216-RICR-40-05-2 § 2.16, with criteria developed by the Rhode Island Dental Association and approved by the Board. CE is reported on a biennial cycle beginning July 1, and licensees must attest to completion by May 1 of each even-numbered year as a condition of renewal.

CE hours by license type (per 2-year cycle)

Category limits (all license types)

• Educational and scientific courses (lectures, seminars, institutes): up to the full CE total, at 1 credit per hour of attendance
• Clinical or laboratory participation courses: up to the full CE total, at 2 credits per hour of participation
• Self-instructed courses (home study, correspondence, web-based): up to the full CE total; a passing post-test is required for credit
• Papers, publications, and scientific presentations: maximum 28 credits per cycle (8 credits for authoring a published scientific paper; 2 credits per hour of presenting to health professionals)
• Teaching and research appointments: maximum 12 credits per cycle (2 credits per hour of documented teaching or research per semester)
• Table clinics, scientific and product exhibits: maximum 6 credits per cycle
• Community service: maximum 6 credits per cycle
• CPR for Healthcare Providers: maximum 3 credits per cycle

Public health dental hygienists must complete at least 6 of their 20 required hours in public health-related topics, and a dental hygienist must complete a minimum of 12 hours of CE (including at least 6 hours of hands-on public health experience) before initially practicing as a PHDH.

Licensees must retain course descriptions, proof of attendance, or other documentation for a minimum of 5 years and produce it if selected for a random Board audit. Failure to attest to CE completion, or to produce satisfactory documentation on request, is grounds for renewal denial or disciplinary action.

Rhode Island dental practice law (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-31.1 and 216-RICR-40-05-2) defines what each credential type may perform and under what supervision. No person may perform an act constituting the practice of dentistry unless licensed as a dentist, dental hygienist, public health dental hygienist, or DAANCE-certified maxillofacial surgery assistant, except as exempted under R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-31.1-37.

Four levels of supervision

• Direct supervision — the dentist is in the office, personally diagnoses and authorizes the procedure, remains in the office while it is performed, and examines the patient before dismissal
• General supervision — the dentist has authorized the procedure under an existing diagnosis and treatment plan but does not need to be physically present
• Indirect supervision — the dentist is in the office, has diagnosed and authorized the procedure, and remains in the office while the auxiliary performs it
• Direct visual supervision — supervision by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon holding a General Anesthesia/Deep Sedation permit, by verbal command and direct line of sight

Scope by credential

• Dentists — full diagnosis and treatment of oral conditions; may delegate procedures to auxiliary personnel under the appropriate supervision level
• Dental Hygienists — scaling and root planing (supra- and subgingival), plus duties delegable to a DANB-certified assistant, generally under general supervision in a dental office; hygienists working in nursing facilities under a dentist's regular employment may work without on-site supervision
• Public Health Dental Hygienists — educational, preventive, therapeutic, prophylactic, and intra-oral services authorized by the Board, performed under a written collaborative agreement rather than on-site dentist supervision
• DANB-Certified Assistants / Dental Assistants — reversible intraoral procedures under the dentist's direct supervision; oral prophylaxis is reserved to dentists and dental hygienists
• DAANCE-Certified Maxillofacial Surgery Assistants — anesthesia-support functions delegated by, and under the direct or direct visual supervision of, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon

The supervising dentist is accountable and fully responsible for services performed by any dental auxiliary under their supervision, though each auxiliary remains responsible for their own professional conduct.

RIDOH investigates and takes appropriate action against dental licensees who do not comply with Department of Health standards.

What RIDOH does not investigate

• Fee or billing disputes — file with the RI Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit or your insurance company instead
• Personality conflicts or poor customer service

What to expect

• The investigation is kept strictly confidential, and a complaint cannot be withdrawn once submitted
• The named licensee is notified and given a copy of the complaint — unless the complainant requests anonymity — and is asked to respond by a set date
• Investigations can take several months, particularly if medical records or other evidence must be subpoenaed
• Complainants may be asked to testify as part of the fact-finding process
• Outcomes include: no action and a closed complaint; a letter of concern to the licensee; or a recommendation for discipline, which the licensee may accept or contest at an administrative hearing

How to file

Complaints are filed online after first locating the licensee through RIDOH's licensee search tool, at health.ri.gov/licensing/licensee-complaints. The Complaint Unit can be reached at doh.ecomplaint@health.ri.gov, and an after-hours emergency line is available at 401-276-8046.

License status and disciplinary history for Rhode Island dental professionals are searched through RIDOH's online tools.

How to verify a license

• Real-time verification — use the License 2000 lookup at healthri.mylicense.com/verification. Select "Dental" from the Profession dropdown, then search by name or license number; results are core licensing credentials, primary-source verified and updated daily.
• Licensee search — a separate, weekly-updated database of licensed dental professionals is at health.ri.gov/find/licensees. Click a name for additional detail.
• Downloadable licensee lists — bulk lists by profession are at health.ri.gov/lists/licensees.

Disciplinary actions and orders

Formal disciplinary actions and orders are posted at health.ri.gov/licensing/disciplinaryactions, including the date each action was entered and the full text of the decision.