Dental Hygienist License in Rhode Island

Rhode Island requires dental hygienist applicants to graduate from a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program and pass the NBDHE plus a clinical examination. The Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry, under the Department of Health, oversees dental hygienist licensing. CE is required for biennial renewal, typically 20 hours per two-year period. Rhode Island has established provisions for dental hygienists to provide certain preventive services in community-based settings such as nursing homes, schools, and group residential facilities under general supervision with a collaborative agreement. The Community College of Rhode Island offers the state's CODA-accredited dental hygiene program. As one of the smallest states geographically, Rhode Island's dental hygienist workforce is concentrated in the Providence metropolitan area, which encompasses most of the state's population. The state's compact size means that practice location is less of a barrier to care than in larger states, though urban underserved populations in Providence, Woonsocket, and Central Falls still face dental access challenges. Rhode Island's dental hygienist salaries are competitive with the broader New England region. The state requires CPR certification for license renewal.