HB5059eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5059 Engrossed LRB103 36284 AWJ 66381 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Dental Practice Act is amended by changing Sections 11 and 16 as follows:

(225 ILCS 25/11) (from Ch. 111, par. 2311)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 11. Types of dental licenses. The Department shall have the authority to issue the following types of licenses, to excuse the payment of fees for inactive status, to deliver certificates of identification, and to extend pre-license practice allowances as follows:

(a) General licenses. The Department shall issue a license authorizing practice as a dentist to any person who qualifies for a license under this Act.

(b) Specialty licenses. The Department shall issue a license authorizing practice as a specialist in any particular branch of dentistry to any dentist who has complied with the requirements established for that particular branch of dentistry at the time of making application. The Department shall establish additional requirements of any dentist who announces or holds himself or herself out to the public as a specialist or as being specially qualified in any particular branch of dentistry.

No dentist shall announce or hold himself or herself out to the public as a specialist or as being specially qualified in any particular branch of dentistry unless he or she is licensed to practice in that specialty of dentistry.

The fact that any dentist shall announce by card, letterhead, or any other form of communication using terms as "Specialist", "Practice Limited To", or "Limited to Specialty of" with the name of the branch of dentistry practiced as a specialty, or shall use equivalent words or phrases to announce the same, shall be prima facie evidence that the dentist is holding himself or herself out to the public as a specialist.

(c) Temporary training licenses. Persons who wish to pursue specialty or other advanced clinical educational programs in an approved dental school or a hospital situated in this State, or persons who wish to pursue programs of specialty training in dental public health in public agencies in this State, may receive without examination, in the discretion of the Department, a temporary training license. In order to receive a temporary training license under this subsection, an applicant shall furnish satisfactory proof to the Department that:

(1) The applicant is at least 21 years of age and is of good moral character. In determining moral character under this Section, the Department may take into consideration any felony conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction shall not operate as bar to licensure;

(2) The applicant has been accepted or appointed for specialty or residency training by an approved hospital situated in this State, by an approved dental school situated in this State, or by a public health agency in this State the training programs of which are recognized and approved by the Department. The applicant shall indicate the beginning and ending dates of the period for which he or she has been accepted or appointed;

(3) The applicant is a graduate of a dental school or college approved and in good standing in the judgment of the Department. The Department may consider diplomas or certifications of education, or both, accompanied by transcripts of course work and credits awarded to determine if an applicant has graduated from a dental school or college approved and in good standing. The Department may also consider diplomas or certifications of education, or both, accompanied by transcripts of course work and credits awarded in determining whether a dental school or college is approved and in good standing.

Temporary training licenses issued under this Section shall be valid only for the duration of the period of residency or specialty training and may be extended or renewed as prescribed by rule. The holder of a valid temporary training license shall be entitled thereby to perform acts as may be prescribed by and incidental to his or her program of residency or specialty training; but he or she shall not be entitled to engage in the practice of dentistry in this State.

A temporary training license may be revoked by the Department upon proof that the holder has engaged in the practice of dentistry in this State outside of his or her program of residency or specialty training, or if the holder shall fail to supply the Department, within 10 days of its request, with information as to his or her current status and activities in his or her specialty training program.

(d) Faculty limited licenses. Persons who have received full-time appointments to teach dentistry at an approved dental school or hospital situated in this State may receive without examination, in the discretion of the Department, a faculty limited license. In order to receive a faculty limited license an applicant shall furnish satisfactory proof to the Department that:

(1) The applicant is at least 21 years of age, is of good moral character, and is licensed to practice dentistry in another state or country; and

(2) The applicant has a full-time appointment to teach dentistry at an approved dental school or hospital situated in this State.

Faculty limited licenses issued under this Section shall be valid for a period of 3 years and may be extended or renewed. The holder of a valid faculty limited license may perform acts as may be required by his or her teaching of dentistry. The holder of a faculty limited license may practice general dentistry or in his or her area of specialty, but only in a clinic or office affiliated with the dental school. The holder of a faculty limited license may advertise a specialty degree as part of the licensee's ability to practice in a faculty practice. Any faculty limited license issued to a faculty member under this Section shall terminate immediately and automatically, without any further action by the Department, if the holder ceases to be a faculty member at an approved dental school or hospital in this State.

The Department may revoke a faculty limited license for a violation of this Act or its rules, or if the holder fails to supply the Department, within 10 days of its request, with information as to his or her current status and activities in his or her teaching program.

(e) Inactive status. Any person who holds one of the licenses under subsection (a) or (b) of Section 11 or under Section 12 of this Act may elect, upon payment of the required fee, to place his or her license on an inactive status and shall, subject to the rules of the Department, be excused from the payment of renewal fees until he or she notifies the Department in writing of his or her desire to resume active status.

Any licensee requesting restoration from inactive status shall be required to pay the current renewal fee and upon payment the Department shall be required to restore his or her license, as provided in Section 16 of this Act.

Any licensee whose license is in an inactive status shall not practice in the State of Illinois.

(f) Certificates of Identification. In addition to the licenses authorized by this Section, the Department shall deliver to each dentist a certificate of identification in a form specified by the Department.

(g) Pre-license practice allowance. An applicant for a general dental license or a temporary training license has a pre-license practice allowance to practice dentistry in a Commission on Dental Accreditation accredited specialty or residency training program for a period of 3 months from the starting date of the program. Upon a request from the applicant, the Department may extend, in writing, the pre-license practice allowance for the specialty or residency training program. An applicant practicing dentistry under this subsection may only perform acts as are prescribed by and incidental to the applicant's program of residency or specialty training. An applicant practicing dentistry under this subsection must supply the specialty or residency training program a copy of the applicant's general license application or temporary training license application along with proof of certified mail of sending that application to the Department.

The applicant's authority to practice under this subsection shall terminate immediately upon: (1) the decision of the Department that the applicant failed the examination for dental licensure; (2) denial of licensure by the Department; or (3) withdrawal of the license application.

(Source: P.A. 103-425, eff. 1-1-24.)

(225 ILCS 25/16) (from Ch. 111, par. 2316)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 16. Expiration, renewal and restoration of licenses.

The expiration date and renewal date for each license issued under this Act shall be set by rule. The renewal period for each license issued under this Act shall be 3 years. A dentist or dental hygienist may renew a license during the month preceding its expiration date by paying the required fee. All initial licenses issued during an open renewal period shall have the next expiration date. A dentist or dental hygienist shall provide proof of current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification intended for health care providers at the time of renewal as provided by rule. Basic Life Support certification training taken as a requirement of this Section shall be counted for no more than 4 hours during each licensure period towards the continuing education hours under Section 16.1 of this Act. The Department shall provide by rule for exemptions from this requirement for a dentist or dental hygienist with a physical disability that would preclude him or her from performing BLS.

Any dentist or dental hygienist whose license has expired or whose license is on inactive status may have his license restored at any time within 5 years after the expiration thereof, upon payment of the required fee and a showing of proof of compliance with current continuing education requirements, as provided by rule.

Any person whose license has been expired for more than 5 years or who has had his license on inactive status for more than 5 years may have his license restored by making application to the Department and filing proof acceptable to the Department of taking continuing education and of his fitness to have the license restored, including sworn evidence certifying to active practice in another jurisdiction, and by paying the required restoration fee. A person practicing on an expired license is deemed to be practicing without a license. However, a holder of a license may renew the license within 90 days after its expiration by complying with the requirements for renewal and payment of an additional fee. A license renewal within 90 days after expiration shall be effective retroactively to the expiration date.

If a person whose license has expired or who has had his license on inactive status for more than 5 years has not maintained an active practice satisfactory to the department, the Department shall determine, by an evaluation process established by rule, his or her fitness to resume active status and may require the person to complete a period of evaluated clinical experience and may require successful completion of a practical examination.

However, any person whose license expired while he or she was (i) on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or called into service or training by the State militia or (ii) in training or education under the supervision of the United States preliminary to induction into the military service, may have his or her license renewed, reinstated, or restored without paying any lapsed renewal or restoration fee, if within 2 years after termination of such service, training, or education other than by dishonorable discharge, he or she furnishes the Department with satisfactory proof that he or she has been so engaged and that his or her service, training, or education has been so terminated.

(Source: P.A. 97-526, eff. 1-1-12; 97-1013, eff. 8-17-12; 98-147, eff. 1-1-14.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.