The Following Illinois Dental Bills are Active and Will Become Law if They Pass by the May 31, 2026 Deadline 

HB4464: INS-DENTAL COVERAGE REIMBURSEMENT
Engrossed Version that Passed to the Senate:  https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB4464eng.pdf 

Provides that a dental care provider's express acceptance may be given by an electronic or digital signature if the form of the signature is recognized as a valid signature under applicable law. Replaces provisions concerning requests for a change in the available payment methodology and provisions prohibiting an insurer or managed care plan from using a dental care provider's preferred method of payment as a factor when deciding whether to provide credentials to a dentist with cross-references to existing health care provider reimbursement requirements. Effective January 1, 2027.

HB4836: IDFPR-CONTINUING EDUCATION
Engrossed Version that Passed to the Senate:

https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB4826eng.pdf

Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that a licensee shall not receive continuing education credit toward the renewal of a professional license for any continuing education course, program, seminar, instruction, webinar, or other educational activity that promotes, instructs, or provides guidance on the performance of prohibited services, treatments, practices, or procedures. Provides that a determination of whether continuing education credit is permitted under the amendatory Act shall occur only in the course of a continuing education audit or license renewal audit conducted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that approval by the Department of a continuing education provider or continuing education course does not supersede the provisions of the amendatory Act. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to require the Department to proactively review, pre-approve, evaluate, monitor, or otherwise assess continuing education content restrictions under the amendatory Act outside of an audit process. Effective January 1, 2027.

House Floor Amendment No. 2

Removes provisions limiting the determination of whether continuing education credit is permitted to the course of a continuing education audit or license renewal audit conducted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Effective January 1, 2027.

SB2846: DENTAL LICENSURE EXAMINATIONS
Engrossed Version that Passed to the House:

https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB2846eng.pdf

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. In provisions concerning the qualifications of applicants for dental licenses and dental hygienist licenses, provides that each applicant shall present satisfactory evidence that the applicant has passed the integrated National Board Dental Examination administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations and has successfully completed an examination conducted by the Central Regional Dental Testing Service, Inc. (CRDTS) or the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). Provides that an applicant who has passed the integrated National Board Dental Examination or the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, respectively, and who has, prior to January 1, 2026, successfully completed an examination conducted by the States Resources for Testing and Assessments, Inc. (SRTA) (formerly, Southern Regional Testing Agency, Inc.), the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA), or the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB) shall be eligible to apply for licensure. In provisions concerning examinations for dental licensure, provides that both theoretical and psychomotor (rather than practical) examinations shall be of a character to give a fair test of the qualifications of the applicant to practice dentistry. In provisions concerning expanded function dental assistants, provides that a dental assistant may perform certain services if the dental assistant has completed the training requirements for the service or services. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

SB2949: MISSING PERSONS-DENTAL RECORDS
Engrossed Version that Passed to the House:  https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB2949eng.pdf

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Provides that, if a missing person remains missing for 30 days after the date of the police report (rather than 60 days after the date of the police report and missing for 60 days after the date of the police report in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)), then the missing person's dental record shall be added to the missing person entry in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). Provides that, if a missing person remains missing for 60 days after the date of the police report, then the missing person's dental record shall be entered in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

SB3148: FLAVORED TOBACCO-BAN
Introduced Bill:   https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3148.pdf

Creates the Flavored Tobacco Ban Act. Provides that a distributor, secondary distributor, retailer, or any of the retailer's agents or employees may not sell, offer for sale, or possess with the intent to sell or offer for sale a flavored tobacco product, flavored related tobacco product, flavored alternative nicotine product, or flavored solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes. Provides that a distributor may temporarily possess or store in the State, flavored tobacco products, related tobacco products, flavored alternative nicotine products, or flavored solutions or substances intended for use with electronic cigarettes, acquired by the distributor outside this State that, after being brought into this State and possessed or stored here temporarily, are shipped by the distributor outside the State. Provides that there is a rebuttable presumption that a tobacco product, related tobacco product, alternative nicotine product, or solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes is a flavored tobacco product, flavored related tobacco product, flavored alternative nicotine product, or flavored solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes if the tobacco product, related tobacco product, alternative nicotine product, or solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes has or produces a characterizing flavor or, if a manufacturer or any of a manufacturer's agents or employees, in the course of their agency or employment, has made a statement or claim directed to consumers or to the public that the tobacco product, alternative nicotine product, or solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes has or produces a characterizing flavor, including, but not limited to, text, color, or images on the product's labeling or packaging that are used to explicitly or implicitly communicate or suggest that the tobacco product, related tobacco product, alternative nicotine product, or solution or substance intended for use with electronic cigarettes has a characterizing flavor. Provides for the suspension of distributors licenses for violation of the Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to enforce the Act. Grants the Department rulemaking powers. Amends various other Acts to make conforming changes. Effective June 1, 2026.

SB3168: MEDICAID-DENTAL COMPREHENSIVE
Introduced Bill:   https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3168.pdf

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that on and after January 1, 2027, the rates paid for children's dental comprehensive oral exams, periodic oral exams, problem focused exams, behavior management codes, sealants, resin-based composites-posterior teeth, and extraction and surgical extraction codes shall be increased by 33% above the rates in effect on December 31, 2025. Effective January 1, 2027.

SB3211: TELEDENTISTRY EXAMINATIONS
Amendment 1 - Passed out of Committee and Will be Voted on in the Senate: 

https://ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/SB/PDF/10400SB3211sam001.pdf

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. In provisions concerning teledentistry, provides that an initial examination for new patients, excluding patients seeking orthodontic treatment, may be conducted through teledentistry if the authorizing dentist establishes a bona fide dentist-patient relationship by reviewing the patient's medical and dental history and verifying both the patient's identity and physical location to ensure that dental care is being administered within the State. Provides that an initial examination for orthodontia treatment shall be performed in person only. Requires an in-person clinical examination to be performed immediately before providing or authorizing services or treatments to patients that are not reversible. Provides that, for ongoing dentist-patient relationships, dentists shall strongly encourage patients to be seen in person at least annually. Makes other changes.

This update was prepared by IDHA's Legislative Chair Laura Baus