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Rep. Marie Hopkins outlines plan for medical and dental schools at URI to strengthen Rhode Island’s provider pipeline
Summary
Rep. Marie Hopkins told the House Education Committee that creating medical and dental schools at the University of Rhode Island could ‘grow our own’ physicians and dentists, help retention and access to care, and generate economic activity; witnesses and members raised questions about residency slots, costs and whether Rhode Island students would be prioritized.
Representative Marie Hopkins, the Warwick sponsor of House Bill 7418, told the House Committee on Education on March 3 that creating medical and dental schools at the University of Rhode Island is a long‑term strategy to address Rhode Island’s shortage of primary‑care and dental providers.
“This could be a piece in the puzzle to solving the physician shortage,” Representative Marie Hopkins said, urging an honest debate that weighs both pros and cons and noting the plan would likely be a “10 year lift” for the state. She told the committee doctors are leaving the state, going to concierge practice or retiring, and that expanding in‑state training would improve retention.
Hopkins cited what she described as an “AI estimate” that a medical school could generate approximately $196,000,000 annually in economic activity and return “$30 for every $1 invested,” while acknowledging such numbers are estimates and subject to change. She also warned that a new school alone would not immediately solve the provider shortage because residency positions and other practical barriers affect whether graduates stay in state.
Dr. Sam Swetgenbaum, a dentist who works with the state Department of Health, the Rhode Island Medicaid program and Providence Community Health Centers, told the committee that Rhode Island has among the lowest dentist‑to‑population ratios in New England and that dental schools often serve as care sites that accept Medicaid and specialty cases.
“We have only 50 dentists per 100,000 people,” Dr. Swetgenbaum said, contrasting that with national and regional figures and describing longer appointment wait times and low Medicaid participation as consequences. He also said adding a dental school to a medical school can be cost‑effective in shared facilities but estimated roughly $50,000,000 in additional construction costs to add dental facilities.
Committee members pressed Hopkins on design questions: whether Rhode Island students would be prioritized for seats, how clinical residencies would be secured and accredited, and how the state would ensure graduates remain in Rhode Island given reimbursement and residency placement constraints. Hopkins said priority language for Rhode Island students should be considered and that she would collaborate with legislators who have related appropriation bills.
Members also noted Brown University’s existing medical school and urged engagement with professional societies and hospitals about residency availability; Hopkins said she hoped Brown and other stakeholders would participate in public negotiations.
The committee did not vote on the merits of HB 7418; earlier in the hearing the panel voted to hold the bill for further study so staff and members can review testimony and refine language.
What’s next: The hearing record will remain open for written testimony and the sponsor and staff expect to work with stakeholders on residency, student recruitment priorities and cost estimates before returning the bill to the committee.
