(a)  Five (5) or more dentists duly licensed to practice under the laws of this state who are members of the Rhode Island State Dental Society and who first obtain authorization to do so by the Rhode Island State Dental Society, as evidenced by an affidavit of the president and secretary of the society, may associate themselves by written articles of association for the incorporation of a nonprofit dental service corporation. The laws of this state relative to insurance companies or to the business of insurance, and acts in amendment of or in addition to them, shall not apply to any nonprofit dental service corporation unless expressly so provided in those laws.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 27-20.1-2

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Dental service: means the professional services rendered by persons duly licensed under the laws of this state to practice dentistry, and prosthetic dentures, bridges, appliances, or other structures to be used and worn as substitutes for natural teeth, prosthetic appliances, orthodontic appliances, precious metal, and ceramic restorations, necessary in connection with the services and supplied by licensed persons, and drugs, medicines, supplies, and nursing care necessary in connection with the services, or expense indemnity for the services, prosthetic dentures, bridges, appliances, or other structures to be used and worn as substitutes for natural teeth, prosthetic appliances, orthodontic appliances, precious metal and ceramic restorations, drugs, medicines, supplies, and care, as may be specified in any nonprofit dental service plan. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-20.1-1
  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
  • Nonprofit dental service corporation: means any corporation organized pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and operating a nonprofit dental service plan;

    (3)  "Nonprofit dental service plan" means a plan by which specified dental service is provided to subscribers to the plan by a nonprofit dental service corporation; and

    (4)  "Subscribers" means those persons or groups of persons who contract with a nonprofit dental service corporation for dental service pursuant to a nonprofit dental service plan. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-20.1-1

(b)  The directors of a nonprofit dental service corporation, other than a corporation organized pursuant to chapter 19 of this title, shall consist of a majority of members of the public not associated with the profession of dentistry and a minority of dentists duly licensed to practice under the laws of this state.

(c)  Each nonprofit dental service corporation shall have, in addition to all other powers granted under this chapter and the laws of the state, the power directly or through corporations in which the nonprofit dental service corporation invests or causes to be organized and established and subscribes for all of the capital stock of, the power:

(1)  To operate as a nonprofit hospital service corporation, subject to all the requirements of chapter 19 of this title and all of regulatory requirements ancillary to it; and specifically the provisions of § 27-19-6; provided, they shall not be subject to § 27-19-14 and § 27-19-15;

(2)  To operate as a nonprofit medical service corporation, subject to all of the requirements of chapter 20 of this title and all of the regulatory requirements ancillary to it; and specifically the provisions of § 27-20-6; and

(3)  To provide administrative, data processing, consulting, utilization review, systems review, and related services relating to the administration of health care services and health care insurance programs.

(d)  Any limitation on investments or holdings provided in § 27-20.1-7 and any other provisions of the general laws shall not apply with respect to investments or holdings under this section; provided, that the value of any investment shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the assets of the dental service corporation, measured at the time the investment is initially made or added to excluding appreciation or such greater percentage as may be approved in writing by the director of the department of business regulation and the attorney general.

(e)  To the extent that the combined value of all investments in subsidiary or other affiliated entities exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the total reserves and unassigned funds of the dental service corporation, the amount in excess of fifty percent (50%) shall be deemed a “non admitted asset”.

(f)  Each nonprofit dental service corporation shall be deemed to be an insurer for the purposes of compliance with chapter 44-17.

History of Section.
P.L. 1959, ch. 183, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 83, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 47, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 437, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 58, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 88, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 32, § 1.