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:

Mobile Dental Clinics	Hospitals
Assisted Living Facilities	Health Fairs
Jails and Detention Centers	Senior Centers
Child and Adult Day Care Centers	Medical Facilities
Residences of Homebound Individuals	Veteran’s Facilities

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