# Rhode Island S2878: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS .

Rhode Island S2878, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Hanna M. Gallo (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-10 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 063) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2878-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Rhode Island S2878
- State: Rhode Island
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS .
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-03-04
- Last action: 2026-06-10, Signed by Governor — Chapter 063
- Sponsor: Hanna M. Gallo (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (137 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More services from public health hygienists: benefit, low. Public-health dental hygienists can do any dental-hygiene procedure the state dental board allows under general supervision. They can do this in settings like homes of the homebound, schools, nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, community health centers, Head Start, and licensed mobile or portable pr…
- Public health hygienists can bill Medicaid directly: benefit, low. Public-health dental hygienists get paid directly by Medicaid or the state healthcare insurance program for care in public settings. Payments follow federal Medicaid rules. Hygienists can also bill other insurers and third-party payors. When a hygienist works for a local or state agency, or in a He…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Hanna M. Gallo (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: John P. Burke (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Walter S. Felag Jr. (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Matthew L. LaMountain (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: David P. Tikoian (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-06-04 | House | DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 63 | 0 |   |
| 2026-05-27 | Senate | BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS Passage | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-05-27 | Senate | BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS Passage | pass | 37 | 0 |   |

## Actions (11)

- 2026-06-10: Signed by Governor — Chapter 063 (Governor)
- 2026-06-04: Transmitted to Governor (Governor)
- 2026-06-04: House passed in concurrence (House)
- 2026-06-02: Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/04/2026) (House)
- 2026-05-27: Senate read and passed (Senate)
- 2026-05-22: Placed on Senate Calendar (05/27/2026) (Senate)
- 2026-05-21: Committee recommends passage
- 2026-05-19: Scheduled for consideration (05/21/2026)
- 2026-05-05: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
- 2026-05-01: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/05/2026)
- 2026-03-04: Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services (Senate)

## Bill text

- S2878 - As Introduced, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2878.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2878.pdf)

## Related bills

- S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE . (became law)
- H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law)
- H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law)
- H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law)
- H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law)
- H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law)

## Sources
- [S2878 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2878.htm)
- [S2878 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2878.pdf)

## Related
- [S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRIC…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S3047-2026)
- [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026)
- [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026)
- [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026)
- [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026)
- [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2878-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).