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Public Act 096-0757 |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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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)
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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 .
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(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.) | ||||
(110 ILCS 948/10)
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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.
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(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.) | ||
(110 ILCS 948/15)
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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.
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(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.) | ||
(110 ILCS 948/20)
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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.
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(Source: P.A. 95-297, eff. 8-20-07.) | ||
(110 ILCS 948/25)
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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
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of the United States.
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(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 .
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(4) He or she must currently be repaying educational
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loans.
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(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 .
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(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)
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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.
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(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.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. |