2025 Legislation and Advocacy
THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO IDHA'S CALLS TO ACTION!
YOUR EFFORTS STOPPED
DENTAL STUDENTS FROM BEING GRANTED RDH LICENSES
AND HELPED TO PASS SEVERAL GREAT DENTAL LAWS!
Illinois Department of Public Health - Oral Health Section
Found that Between 2020 and 2024, PHDHs Provided
33,122
Children and Adults Who Did Not Have a Dentist:
Oral Health Assessments
Preventative Oral Healthcare
Referrals to a Dentist
The IDPH 2024 PHDH Activity Report States:
The 2024 PHDH Activity Report highlights the continued Success of the PHDH model in improving early oral health care access for low-income, uninsured, or Medicaid-insured individuals across Illinois’ most vulnerable populations. Continued efforts are needed by health care professionals to strengthen and expand this critical workforce model.
Click on IDPH PHDH Info to Access More Info and Data
SB1982 - PHDH Practice Settings
Legislators postponed IDHA’s Bill to allow for further discussions between the Bill Sponsor, the Department, ISDS, and IDHA. IDHA is working to move the Bill through the legislative process.
IDHA’s Public Health Dental Hygienist (PHDH) Bill would remove language specifying PHDH practice settings and allow the supervising dentist and PHDH to determine and document PHDH practice settings in their written collaborative agreement. This change would allow PHDHs to practice wherever they are needed, including:
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Please share the SB1982 PHDH Fact Sheet and information on Public Health Dental Hygienists with your colleagues, employers, legislators, friends, and family.
The Following Bills Have Been Signed into Illinois Law
SB1463 - Dental Students Awarded RDH Licenses.
The original Bill that would have granted dental students RDH licensure without their completing any RDH licensure requirements… did NOT pass.
The new law allows dental and dental hygiene program graduates who passed their respective Board Exams and applied for Illinois licensure to work as a "pre-licensed" dentist or dental hygienist under the supervision of a licensed dentist.
SB1325 - Board of Dentistry. The new law requires at least one BOD dentist member to hold a permit to administer moderate sedation, and at least one dentist member to hold a permit to administer deep sedation and general anesthesia.
SB1392 - Dental Insurance Assignability. The new law allows patients to choose whether insurance payments will go to the provider or themselves.
SB2492 - The Sunset Bill. The new law made inclusive language changes, such as "the dentist" instead of "his or her". It also extended the DPA Sunset date by 5 years instead of 10 years, which the Department is doing for all professions.
HB1270 - Volunteer License. The new law allows licensees of several healthcare professions, including dentistry and dental hygiene, to have their active license placed in volunteer status without a fee. The license may later be changed back to active status for the usual fee.
This update was prepared by IDHA's Legislative Chair Laura Baus
2024 Legislation and Advocacy
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July Update On Friday, April 12, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2453, enacting the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact for the state! That makes Kansas the sixth state to pass this important legislation. The progress on the DDH Compact results from years of hard work on local and national ADHA levels together with the ADA, CSG, DoD and many other oral healthcare partners. We are one state away from operationalizing this compact, rolling up our sleeves, forming a commission and beginning the work of process and procedure so you can start practicing across state lines in the participating states. Keep the legislation rolling and join the movement! Learn more at ddhcompact.org #licensurereciprocity #DDHcompact #AdvocacyInAction Kansas Dental Hygienists' AssociationMarch Legislative Updates on Licensure Compact |
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As we near, the end of March, I wanted to update everyone on how IDHA is working for you. The legislative session has begun, and we have filed a bill with legislative sponsors for the licensure compact. In the senate, the bill is SB2982. In the House of Representatives, the bill is HB4579. We all know how beneficial having licensure reciprocity would be for dental hygienists. Instead of jumping through hoops to receive a state license elsewhere, being part of the compact would facilitate the process. States currently in the compact include: Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington State. Many other states are currently going through legislative sessions and the compact is moving through the process. For Illinois RDHs to be part of the licensure reciprocity, Illinois must be part of the compact. We are dealing with some legislative, state, and dental opposition, which could result in the house and senate bills dying. It is imperative for us to reach out to our legislators to advocate for this bill. Please reach out to your STATE Senator and Representative to show support for this bill. If you have had difficulty in getting your Illinois license, we would appreciate any written testimony from you to present to the subcommittee. Currently, there is also a bill for dental therapist language to be added to the Illinois Dental Practice Act. This bill was NOT presented by IDHA or by ISDS. Many states are introducing a dental therapy bill this legislative year. We, as an Association, are NEUTRAL regarding this bill. If you would like to show support for the dental therapist bill, when filling out a witness slip, please put SELF. |
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