093_HB3324
LRB093 09895 AMC 10145 b
1 AN ACT concerning dental hygienists.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Illinois Dental Practice Act is amended
5 by changing Section 18 as follows:
6 (225 ILCS 25/18) (from Ch. 111, par. 2318)
7 Sec. 18. Acts constituting the practice of dental
8 hygiene;. limitations.
9 (1) A dental hygienist may be employed or engaged only:
10 (a) Under the supervision of a dentist: (1) in the
11 office of a dentist.;
12 (2) By a federal, State, county or municipal agency
13 or institution;
14 (3) By a public or private school; or
15 (4) By a public clinic operating under the
16 direction of a hospital or federal, State, county,
17 municipal or other public agency or institution.
18 When employed or engaged pursuant to this paragraph (a) a
19 dental hygienist may perform the following procedures and
20 acts:
21 (i) the operative procedure of dental hygiene,
22 consisting of oral prophylactic procedures;
23 (ii) the exposure and processing of X-Ray
24 films of the teeth and surrounding structures;
25 (iii) the application to the surfaces of the
26 teeth or gums of chemical compounds designed to be
27 desensitizing agents or effective agents in the
28 prevention of dental caries or periodontal disease;
29 (iv) all services which may be performed by a
30 dental assistant as specified by rule pursuant to
31 Section 17;
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1 (v) administration and monitoring of nitrous
2 oxide upon successful completion of a training
3 program approved by the Department;
4 (vi) administration of local anesthetics upon
5 successful completion of a training program approved
6 by the Department; and
7 (vii) such other procedures and acts as shall
8 be prescribed by rule or regulation of the
9 Department.
10 (b) Under the general supervision of a dentist (i)
11 in the office of a dentist, (ii) in a long-term care
12 facility licensed by the State of Illinois, (iii) in or a
13 mental health or developmental disability facility
14 operated by the Department of Human Services, (iv) in a
15 public or private school, (v) in a hospital, (vi) in a
16 prison, (vii) in a community health center or clinic,
17 (viii) in a mobile unit, or (ix) in a home health setting
18 if the patient is unable to travel to a dental office
19 because of illness or infirmity. The dentist shall
20 personally examine and diagnose the patient and determine
21 which services are necessary to be performed, which shall
22 be contained in a written order to the hygienist. Such
23 order must be implemented within 90 days of its issuance,
24 and An updated medical history and oral inspection must
25 be performed by the hygienist immediately prior to
26 beginning the procedures to ensure that the patient's
27 health has not changed in any manner to warrant a
28 reexamination by the dentist. The authorizing dentist
29 shall be responsible for providing the dental examination
30 in a reasonable and suitable time frame to ensure the
31 patient's overall oral health.
32 Before a dental hygienist may be employed or engaged
33 under the general supervision of a dentist, he or she
34 must have been actively engaged in the practice of dental
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1 hygiene under the direct supervision of a dentist for a
2 period of at least 12 months. A dental hygienist who
3 provides services under the general supervision of a
4 dentist must show proof of professional liability
5 insurance.
6 (2)(c) Without the supervision of a dentist, a dental
7 hygienist may perform dental health education functions and
8 may record case histories and oral conditions observed.
9 (3) The number of dental hygienists practicing in a
10 dental office shall not exceed, at any one time, 4 times the
11 number of dentists practicing in the office at the time.
12 (4) When employed or engaged pursuant to paragraph (a)
13 or (b) of subsection (1) of this Section, a dental hygienist
14 may perform the following procedures and acts:
15 (a) the operative procedure of dental hygiene,
16 consisting of oral prophylactic procedures;
17 (b) the exposure and processing of X-Ray films of
18 the teeth and surrounding structures;
19 (c) the application to the surfaces of the teeth or
20 gums of chemical compounds designed to be desensitizing
21 agents or effective agents in the prevention of dental
22 caries or periodontal disease;
23 (d) all services which may be performed by a dental
24 assistant as specified by rule pursuant to Section 17;
25 and
26 (e) such other procedures and acts as shall be
27 prescribed by rule or regulation of the Department.
28 (5) A dental hygienist may only perform the following
29 procedures and acts upon successful completion of a training
30 program approved by the Department under the supervision of a
31 dentist:
32 (a) administration and monitoring of nitrous oxide;
33 and
34 (b) administration of local anesthetics.
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1 (Source: P.A. 91-594, eff. 1-1-00; 91-689, eff. 1-1-01.)