(225 ILCS 25/16.1) (from Ch. 111, par. 2316.1)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
Sec. 16.1. Continuing education. The Department shall promulgate
rules of continuing education for persons licensed under
this Act. In establishing rules, the Department shall require a minimum of
48 hours of study in approved courses for dentists during each 3-year
licensing period and a minimum of 36 hours of study in approved courses for
dental hygienists during each 3-year licensing period.
The Department shall approve only courses that are relevant to the
treatment and care of patients, including, but not limited to, clinical
courses in dentistry and dental hygiene and nonclinical courses such as
patient management, legal and ethical responsibilities, and stress
management. The Department shall allow up to 4 hours of continuing education credit hours per license renewal period for volunteer hours spent providing clinical services at, or sponsored by, a nonprofit community clinic, local or state health department, or a charity event. Courses shall not be approved in such subjects as estate and
personal financial planning, personal investments, or personal health. Approved courses may
include, but shall not be limited to, courses that are offered or sponsored
by approved colleges, universities, and hospitals and by recognized
national, State, and local dental and dental hygiene organizations. When offering a continuing education course, whether at no cost or for a fee, the course provider shall explicitly disclose that the course is an approved course for continuing education in the State of Illinois, as provided in this Section or by the rules adopted by the Department.
No license shall be renewed unless the
renewal application is accompanied by an affidavit indicating that the
applicant has completed the required minimum number of hours of continuing
education in approved courses as required by this Section.
The affidavit shall not require a listing of courses. The affidavit
shall be a prima facie evidence that the applicant has obtained the minimum
number of required continuing education hours in approved courses. The
Department shall not be obligated to conduct random
audits or otherwise independently verify that an applicant has met the
continuing education requirement.
The Department, however, may not conduct random audits
of more than 10% of the licensed
dentists and dental hygienists in any one licensing cycle
to verify compliance
with continuing education requirements.
If the Department, however, receives a
complaint that a licensee has not completed the required continuing
education or if the Department is investigating another alleged violation
of this Act by a licensee, the Department may demand and shall be entitled
to receive evidence from any licensee of completion of required
continuing education courses for the most recently completed 3-year
licensing period.
Evidence of continuing education may include, but is not limited to, canceled
checks, official verification forms of attendance, and continuing education
recording forms, that demonstrate a reasonable record of attendance. The
Board shall determine, in accordance with rules adopted by the
Department,
whether a licensee or applicant has met the continuing education
requirements.
Any dentist who holds more than one license under this
Act shall be required to complete
only the minimum number of hours of continuing education required for
renewal of a single license. The Department may provide exemptions from
continuing education requirements.
(Source: P.A. 103-425, eff. 1-1-24.)
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