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92_SB0752
SRS92SB0028RWge
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. A dental hygienist may be employed or
9 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
13 agency 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) in a
11 long-term care facility licensed by the State of Illinois,
12 (ii) in or a mental health or developmental disability
13 facility operated by the Department of Human Services, (iii)
14 in a public or private school, (iv) in a hospital, (v) in a
15 prison, (vi) in a community health center or clinic, (vii) in
16 a mobile unit, or (viii) if the patient is unable to travel
17 to a dental office because of illness or infirmity. The
18 dentist shall personally examine and diagnose the patient and
19 determine which services are necessary to be performed, which
20 shall be contained in a written order to the hygienist. Such
21 order must be implemented within 90 days of its issuance, and
22 An updated medical history and oral inspection must be
23 performed by the hygienist immediately prior to beginning the
24 procedures to ensure that the patient's health has not
25 changed in any manner to warrant a reexamination by the
26 dentist. A licensed dental hygienist practicing under general
27 supervision shall refer to a licensed dentist within a
28 12-month period any patient who needs treatment outside of
29 the dental hygienist's procedures pursuant to this Section.
30 (c) Without the supervision of a dentist, a dental
31 hygienist may perform dental health education functions and
32 may record case histories and oral conditions observed.
33 The number of dental hygienists practicing in a dental
34 office shall not exceed, at any one time, 4 times the number
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1 of dentists practicing in the office at the time.
2 (d) When employed or engaged pursuant to paragraph (a)
3 or (b) of this Section, a dental hygienist may perform the
4 following procedures and acts:
5 (i) the operative procedure of dental hygiene,
6 consisting of oral prophylactic procedures;
7 (ii) the exposure and processing of X-Ray
8 films of the teeth and surrounding structures;
9 (iii) the application to the surfaces of the
10 teeth or gums of chemical compounds designed to be
11 desensitizing agents or effective agents in the
12 prevention of dental caries or periodontal disease;
13 (iv) all services which may be performed by a
14 dental assistant as specified by rule pursuant to
15 Section 17;
16 (v) administration and monitoring of nitrous
17 oxide upon successful completion of a training
18 program approved by the Department;
19 (vi) administration of local anesthetics upon
20 successful completion of a training program approved
21 by the Department; and
22 (vii) such other procedures and acts as shall
23 be prescribed by rule or regulation of the
24 Department.
25 (Source: P.A. 91-594, eff. 1-1-00; 91-689, eff. 1-1-01.)
26 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
27 becoming law.
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