Public Act 096-0757
 
SB0275 Enrolled LRB096 04070 NHT 14109 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Loan Repayment Assistance for Dentists Act
is amended by changing Sections 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 as
follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 948/5)
    Sec. 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to establish a
program in the Department of Public Health to increase the
total number of dentists, and dental specialists, and dental
hygienists practicing in designated shortage areas in this
State by providing educational loan repayment assistance
grants to dentists, and dental specialists, and dental
hygienists.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    (110 ILCS 948/10)
    Sec. 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context
otherwise requires:
    "Dental hygienist" means a person who holds a license under
the Illinois Dental Practice Act to perform dental services as
authorized by Section 18 of the Illinois Dental Practice Act.
    "Dental payments" means compensation provided to dentists
and dental specialists for services rendered under Article V of
the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Covering ALL KIDS Health
Insurance Act, or the Children's Health Insurance Program Act.
    "Dental specialist" means a person who has received a
license as a dentist in this State and who is trained and
qualified to practice in one or more of the following
specialties of dentistry: endodontics, oral and maxillofacial
surgery, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, and
prosthodontics.
    "Dentist" means a person who has received a general license
pursuant to paragraph (a) of Section 11 of the Illinois Dental
Practice Act, who may perform any intraoral and extraoral
procedure required in the practice of dentistry, and to whom is
reserved the responsibilities specified in Section 17 of the
Illinois Dental Practice Act.
    "Department" means the Department of Public Health.
    "Designated shortage area" means a medically underserved
area or health manpower shortage area as defined by the United
States Department of Health and Human Services or as otherwise
designated by the Department of Public Health.
    "Educational loans" means higher education student loans
that a person has incurred in attending a registered
professional dental education program in this State.
    "Program" means the educational loan repayment assistance
program for dentists and dental specialists or dental
hygienists established by the Department under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    (110 ILCS 948/15)
    Sec. 15. Establishment of program. The Department shall
establish an educational loan repayment assistance program for
dentists and dental specialists who practice in designated
shortage areas in this State and who accept certain dental
payments as defined under this Act. In addition, the Department
shall establish an educational loan repayment assistance
program for dental hygienists who practice with a dentist in a
designated shortage area in this State. The Department shall
administer the program and make all necessary and proper rules
not inconsistent with this Act for the program's effective
implementation. The Department may use up to 5% of the
appropriation for this program for administration and
promotion of dentist, and dental specialist, and dental
hygienist incentive programs.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    (110 ILCS 948/20)
    Sec. 20. Application. Beginning July 1, 2007, the
Department shall, each year, consider 4 applications for
assistance under the program. The form of application and the
information required to be set forth in the application shall
be determined by the Department, and the Department shall
require applicants to submit with their applications such
supporting documents as the Department deems necessary.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    (110 ILCS 948/25)
    Sec. 25. Eligibility. To be eligible for assistance under
the program, an applicant must meet all of the following
qualifications:
        (1) He or she must be a citizen or permanent resident
    of the United States.
        (2) He or she must be a resident of this State.
        (3) He or she must be practicing full time in this
    State as a dentist, or dental specialist, or dental
    hygienist.
        (4) He or she must currently be repaying educational
    loans.
        (5) He or she must accept dental payments as defined in
    this Act.
        (6) He or she must continue full-time practice or
    commit to practice full time in this State in a designated
    shortage area for 2 years.
        (7) He or she must allocate at least 20% of all patient
    appointments to patients covered by Article V of the
    Illinois Public Aid Code, the Covering ALL KIDS Health
    Insurance Act, or the Children's Health Insurance Program
    Act.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    (110 ILCS 948/30)
    Sec. 30. The award of grants.
    (a) Under the program, for each year that a qualified
applicant practices full time in this State in a designated
shortage area as a dentist or dental specialist, the Department
shall, subject to appropriation, award a grant to that person
in an amount equal to the amount in educational loans that the
person must repay that year. However, the total amount in
grants that a person may be awarded under the program must not
exceed $25,000 per year for a 4-year period.
    The grant award for a dental hygienist shall be set by rule
of the Department.
    (b) The Department shall require recipients to use the
grants to pay off their educational loans.
    (c) The initial grant awarded to a dentist or dental
specialist under this Act shall be for a 2-year period. Based
on the successful completion of the initial 2-year grant, the
grantees may be awarded up to 2 subsequent one-year grants.
Grantees are eligible to receive grant funds for no more than a
4-year period. Previous grant recipients shall be given
priority for years 3 and 4 grant funding, provided that the
grantee continues to meet the eligibility requirements set
forth in Section 25 of this Act. Grantees shall practice full
time in a designated shortage area for the period of each grant
awarded.
    The grant award for a dental hygienist shall be for a
maximum of 2 years.
    (d) Successful applicants shall be eligible for a grant
award upon execution of the grant agreement and shall then
begin to receive grant award payments on a quarterly basis.
    (e) The Department shall award grants to otherwise eligible
dental applicants by using the following criteria:
        (1) Dental specialist willing to practice in any
    designated shortage area.
        (2) Dentist willing to practice in a designated
    shortage area with the highest Health Professional
    Shortage Area (HPSA) score.
        (3) Dentist willing to practice in a designated
    shortage area with the highest HPSA score and agreeing to
    allocate the highest percentage of patient appointments to
    those that are covered by Article V of the Illinois Public
    Aid Code, the Covering ALL KIDS Health Insurance Act, or
    the Children's Health Insurance Program Act.
(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.