Public Act 0757 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0275 Enrolled LRB096 04070 NHT 14109 b

Public Act 096-0757

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.