Rhode Island Dental Association (RIDA)
Your guide to organized dentistry in Rhode Island: membership, the annual meeting, local component societies, the state dental board, and CE/license-renewal requirements.
About the Rhode Island Dental Association
The Rhode Island Dental Association (RIDA) was founded in Providence on July 2, 1878 by a group of seven dentists, making it one of the older state dental societies in the country. It is the ADA constituent (state) dental association for Rhode Island, headquartered in Warwick. Its stated object: "to improve the dental health of the public and to promote the art and science of dentistry." Today RIDA has more than 500 members.
RIDA operates within the ADA's three-tier (tripartite) structure: the ADA (national), RIDA (constituent/state), and three regional component societies (Northern, Southern, and Central) below it. Each component is represented by a Long-Term Trustee on RIDA governance. For members, RIDA provides continuing education seminars, advocacy, a quarterly dental journal, and member resources, and it maintains a political action committee (RIDA PAC) and registered lobbying presence at the Rhode Island State House.
RIDA is a registered nonprofit (EIN 05-0374154). The historical founding has been documented in the dental-history literature (e.g., a published account, "The Founding of the Rhode Island Dental Association").
Annual Meeting: RIDA Annual Meeting
Annual; Rhode Island (Warwick/Providence area).
The RIDA Annual Meeting combines CE programming, the association's business meeting, and member networking. As a small state, RIDA's meeting is modest in scale relative to the regional Yankee Dental Congress (Boston), which many RI dentists also attend. RIDA additionally offers standalone CE seminars to members through the year.
Component & Local Dental Societies
Joining the RIDA typically also enrolls a dentist in their local component society.Rhode Island has 3 component societies:
Northern District Dental Society (NDDS)
northern/eastern RI (Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Central Falls, Cumberland, East Providence, Foster, etc.)
Southern District Dental Society (SDDS)
southern RI / South County & islands (Block Island, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, etc.)
Central District Dental Society (CDDS)
central RI (Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, North Kingstown, Warwick, West Greenwich, etc.)
Licensing Board
Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry (within the RI Department of Health)
The board licenses and regulates dentists — distinct from the RIDA, which is a voluntary membership and advocacy body.
health.ri.govCE & License Renewal
- Hours: 40 CE credits
- Cycle: Biennial (evidence required on or before May 1 of each even-numbered year)
- Mandatory topics: A minimum of 1 hour per year on the CDC Infection Control Guidelines is required. Current CPR certification required. Licensees who prescribe Schedule II opioids must complete 8 hours on topics including alternatives to opioids for pain management. All hours may be completed by home study.
Always verify current requirements with the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry (within the RI Department of Health) before renewal.
Rhode Island Dental Market Snapshot
- Smallest state by area; compact, densely populated dental market concentrated in the Providence-Warwick metro. >500 RIDA-member dentists.
- Major metros: Providence (largest), Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Newport. Heavy overlap with the Greater Boston/Southeastern Massachusetts market.
- Diverse, multilingual population - notably large Spanish-speaking (Dominican, Guatemalan, Colombian) and Portuguese-speaking (Portuguese/Cape Verdean/Brazilian) communities in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and the East Bay - making multilingual front-desk capability highly relevant.
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Rhode Island Dental Association FAQ
How many CE hours do Rhode Island dentists need to renew a license?
Rhode Island dentists must complete 40 CE credits, biennial (evidence required on or before may 1 of each even-numbered year). Mandatory topics include A minimum of 1 hour per year on the CDC Infection Control Guidelines is required. Current CPR certification required. Licensees who prescribe Schedule II opioids must complete 8 hours on topics including alternatives to opioids for pain management. All hours may be completed by home study.. Always confirm current rules with the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry (within the RI Department of Health).
What is the difference between the RIDA and the Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry (within the RI Department of Health)?
The Rhode Island Dental Association is a voluntary membership and advocacy organization for dentists. The Rhode Island Board of Examiners in Dentistry (within the RI Department of Health) is the government body that licenses dentists and enforces regulations. Membership in the association is optional; licensure through the board is mandatory to practice.
Sources
- www.ridental.org/about-us — RIDA founding (July 2, 1878), mission, >500 members, tripartite structure, ED Aaron Guckian.
- www.ridental.org/member-center/rida-components — three component districts (Northern, Southern, Central) and trustees.
- www.ridental.org/CE — RIDA continuing education.
- rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/216-40-05-2 — RI DOH dentistry rules / CE requirements.
- www.charitynavigator.org/ein/050374154 — RIDA nonprofit record (EIN 05-0374154).
- www.ridapac.org/ — RIDA PAC / advocacy.
- www.firstdistrictcaucus.com/calendar/rhode-island-dental-association-annual-meeting/ — RIDA Annual Meeting reference.
- coda.ada.org/find-a-program — CODA Program Finder - confirms no predoctoral dental school in RI; CCRI dental hygiene program accredited.
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