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Illinois General Assembly· SB 3211Governor Approved

TELEDENTISTRY EXAMINATIONS, the official text

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SB3211 Enrolled                     LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1   AN ACT concerning regulation.

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 by

5 changing Sections 4 and 17.2 as follows:

6   (225 ILCS 25/4)

7   (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)

8   Sec. 4. Definitions. As used in this Act:

9   "Address of record" means the designated address recorded

10 by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application

11 file or license file as maintained by the Department's

12 licensure maintenance unit. It is the duty of the applicant or

13 licensee to inform the Department of any change of address and

14 those changes must be made either through the Department's

15 website or by contacting the Department.

16  "Email address of record" means the designated email

17 address recorded by the Department in the applicant's

18 application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained

19 by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

20  "Department" means the Department of Financial and

21 Professional Regulation.

22  "Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and

23 Professional Regulation.
    SB3211 Enrolled   -2-                 LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1   "Board" means the Board of Dentistry.

2   "Dentist" means a person who has received a general

3 license pursuant to subsection (a) of Section 11 of this Act,

4 and who may perform any intraoral and extraoral procedure

5 required in the practice of dentistry, and to whom is reserved

6 the responsibilities specified in Section 17.

7   "Dental hygienist" means a person who holds a license

8 under this Act to perform dental services as authorized by

9 Section 18.

10  "Dental assistant" means an appropriately trained person

11 who, under the supervision of a dentist, provides dental

12 services as authorized by Section 17.

13  "Expanded function dental assistant" means a dental

14 assistant who has completed the training required by Section

15 17.1 of this Act.

16  "Dental laboratory" means a person, firm, or corporation

17 which:

18         (i) engages in making, providing, repairing, or

19  altering dental prosthetic appliances and other artificial

20  materials and devices which are returned to a dentist for

21  insertion into the human oral cavity or which come in

22  contact with its adjacent structures and tissues; and

23         (ii) utilizes or employs a dental technician to

24  provide such services; and

25         (iii) performs such functions only for a dentist or

26  dentists.
    SB3211 Enrolled       -3-          LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1   "Supervision" means supervision of a dental hygienist or a

2 dental assistant requiring that a dentist authorize the

3 procedure, remain in the dental facility while the procedure

4 is performed, and approve the work performed by the dental

5 hygienist or dental assistant before dismissal of the patient,

6 but does not mean that the dentist must be present at all times

7 in the treatment room.

8   "General supervision" means supervision of a dental

9 hygienist requiring that the patient be a patient of record,

10 that the dentist examine the patient in accordance with

11 Section 18 prior to treatment by the dental hygienist, and

12 that the dentist authorize the procedures which are being

13 carried out by a notation in the patient's record, but not

14 requiring that a dentist be present when the authorized

15 procedures are being performed. The issuance of a prescription

16 to a dental laboratory by a dentist does not constitute

17 general supervision.

18  "Public member" means a person who is not a health

19 professional. For purposes of board membership, any person

20 with a significant financial interest in a health service or

21 profession is not a public member.

22  "Dentistry" means the healing art which is concerned with

23 the examination, diagnosis, treatment planning, and care of

24 conditions within the human oral cavity and its adjacent

25 tissues and structures, as further specified in Section 17.

26  "Branches of dentistry" means the various specialties of
    SB3211 Enrolled  -4-  LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 dentistry which, for purposes of this Act, shall be limited to

2 the following: endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery,

3 orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, pediatric dentistry,

4 periodontics, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial

5 radiology, dental anesthesiology, oral and maxillofacial

6 pathology, dental public health, oral medicine, and orofacial

7 pain.

8   "Specialist" means a dentist who has received a specialty

9 license pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 11.

10  "Dental technician" means a person who owns, operates, or

11 is employed by a dental laboratory and engages in making,

12 providing, repairing, or altering dental prosthetic appliances

13 and other artificial materials and devices which are returned

14 to a dentist for insertion into the human oral cavity or which

15 come in contact with its adjacent structures and tissues.

16  "Informed consent" means legally valid consent that is

17 given by a patient or legal guardian, that is recorded in

18 writing or digitally, that authorizes intervention or

19 treatment services from the treating dentist, and that

20 documents agreement to participate in those services and

21 knowledge of the risks, benefits, and alternatives, including

22 the decision to withdraw from or decline treatment.

23  "Impaired dentist" or "impaired dental hygienist" means a

24 dentist or dental hygienist who is unable to practice with

25 reasonable skill and safety because of a physical or mental

26 disability as evidenced by a written determination or written
    SB3211 Enrolled        -5-  LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 consent based on clinical evidence, including deterioration

2 through the aging process, loss of motor skills, abuse of

3 drugs or alcohol, or a psychiatric disorder, of sufficient

4 degree to diminish the person's ability to deliver competent

5 patient care.

6   "Nurse" means a registered professional nurse, a certified

7 registered nurse anesthetist licensed as an advanced practice

8 registered nurse, or a licensed practical nurse licensed under

9 the Nurse Practice Act.

10  "Patient of record", except as provided in Section 17.2,

11 means a patient for whom the patient's most recent dentist has

12 obtained a relevant medical and dental history and on whom the

13 dentist has performed a physical examination within the last

14 year and evaluated the condition to be treated, including a

15 review of the patient's most recent x-rays.

16  "Dental responder" means a dentist or dental hygienist who

17 is appropriately certified in disaster preparedness,

18 immunizations, and dental humanitarian medical response

19 consistent with the Society of Disaster Medicine and Public

20 Health and training certified by the National Incident

21 Management System or the National Disaster Life Support

22 Foundation.

23  "Mobile dental van or portable dental unit" means any

24 self-contained or portable dental unit in which dentistry is

25 practiced that can be moved, towed, or transported from one

26 location to another in order to establish a location where
    SB3211 Enrolled  -6-            LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 dental services can be provided.

2   "Public health dental hygienist" means a hygienist who

3 holds a valid license to practice in the State, has 2 years of

4 full-time clinical experience or an equivalent of 4,000 hours

5 of clinical experience, and has completed at least 42 clock

6 hours of additional structured courses in dental education in

7 advanced areas specific to public health dentistry.

8   "Public health setting" means a federally qualified health

9 center; a federal, State, or local public health facility;

10 Head Start; a special supplemental nutrition program for

11 Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) facility; a certified

12 school-based health center or school-based oral health

13 program; a prison; or a long-term care facility.

14  "Public health supervision" means the supervision of a

15 public health dental hygienist by a licensed dentist who has a

16 written public health supervision agreement with that public

17 health dental hygienist while working in an approved facility

18 or program that allows the public health dental hygienist to

19 treat patients, without a dentist first examining the patient

20 and being present in the facility during treatment, (1) who

21 are eligible for Medicaid or (2) who are uninsured or whose

22 household income is not greater than 300% of the federal

23 poverty level.

24  "Teledentistry" means the use of telehealth systems and

25 methodologies in dentistry and includes patient diagnosis,

26 treatment planning, care, and education delivery for a patient
    SB3211 Enrolled  -7-  LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 of record using synchronous and asynchronous communications

2 under an Illinois licensed dentist's authority as provided

3 under this Act.

4   "Synchronous" means the transmission of a patient's health

5 care information through a real-time, 2-way interaction

6 between a patient and a dentist or dental office using

7 audiovisual telecommunication technology.

8   "Moderate sedation" means a drug-induced depression of

9 consciousness during which: (1) patients respond purposefully

10 to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light

11 tactile stimulation; (2) no interventions are required to

12 maintain a patient's airway and spontaneous ventilation is

13 adequate; and (3) cardiovascular function is usually

14 maintained.

15  "Deep sedation" means a drug-induced depression of

16 consciousness during which: (1) patients cannot be easily

17 aroused, but respond purposefully following repeated or

18 painful stimulation; (2) the ability to independently maintain

19 ventilatory function may be impaired; (3) patients may require

20 assistance in maintaining airways and spontaneous ventilation

21 may be inadequate; and (4) cardiovascular function is usually

22 maintained.

23  "General anesthesia" means a drug-induced loss of

24 consciousness during which: (1) patients are not arousable,

25 even by painful stimulation; (2) the ability to independently

26 maintain ventilatory function is often impaired; (3) patients
    SB3211 Enrolled     -8-         LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 often require assistance in maintaining airways and positive

2 pressure ventilation may be required because of depressed

3 spontaneous ventilation or drug-induced depression of

4 neuromuscular function; and (4) cardiovascular function may be

5 impaired.

6   "Venipuncture" means the puncture of a vein as part of a

7 medical procedure, typically to withdraw a blood sample or for

8 an intravenous catheter for the administration of medication

9 or fluids.

10  "Enteral route of administration" means administration of

11 a drug that is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract or

12 through oral, rectal, or sublingual mucosa.

13  "Parenteral route of administration" means administration

14 of a drug by which the drug bypasses the gastrointestinal

15 tract through intramuscular, intravenous, intranasal,

16 submucosal, subcutaneous, or intraosseous methods.

17 (Source: P.A. 103-425, eff. 1-1-24; 103-431, eff. 1-1-24;

18 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-628, eff. 7-1-24; 103-902, eff.

19 8-9-24; 104-103, eff. 8-1-25; 104-151, eff. 1-1-26; 104-417,

20 eff. 8-15-25; revised 9-15-25.)

21  (225 ILCS 25/17.2)

22  (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)

23  Sec. 17.2. Teledentistry.

24  (a) As used in this Section, "patient of record" means a

25 patient for whom the patient's most recent Illinois-licensed
    SB3211 Enrolled  -9-  LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 dentist has obtained a relevant medical and dental history and

2 on whom the dentist has (i) performed a physical examination

3 within the last year; (ii) obtained relevant records that are

4 appropriate for the type of teledentistry service being

5 provided from an in-person examination within the previous 12

6 months, including a review of the patient's most recent

7 x-rays; provided that if none are available, the supervising

8 dentist must order x-rays and they must be reviewed by the

9 licensed dentist prior to treatment; or (iii) established a

10 relationship with the patient through an exchange of protected

11 health information for the purpose of screening a patient

12 providing emergency care, treatment, or services in accordance

13 with the requirements of subsection (c); or (iv) established a

14 relationship with the patient through an exchange of protected

15 health information that meets the requirements of subsection

16 (d) subsection (c). A patient who receives teledentistry

17 services under this Section shall receive a referral to an

18 Illinois-licensed dentist to receive appropriate in-person

19 care.

20  (b) A dentist may only practice or utilize teledentistry

21 on a patient of record. A dentist practicing dentistry through

22 teledentistry is subject to the same standard of care and

23 practice standards that are applicable to dental services

24 provided in a clinic or office setting. A dentist may provide

25 and delegate dental services using teledentistry to an

26 Illinois-licensed dental hygienist only under the supervision
SB3211 Enrolled  - 10 - LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

 1 requirements as specified in this Act for in-person care. A
 2 dental hygienist may perform oral prophylaxis procedures; may
 3 apply fluoride treatments, but not any product used for the
 4 remineralization of teeth, including, but not limited to,
 5 silver diamine fluoride; and may process x-rays as ordered by
 6 the supervising dentist on a patient of record only after an
 7 Illinois-licensed dentist has examined, diagnosed, and
 8 authorized such procedures using synchronous systems. A person
 9 is limited to 2 oral prophylaxis procedures performed by a
10 licensed dental hygienist using teledentistry until an
11 in-person examination by a licensed dentist has been
12 completed. Local anesthetics and nitrous oxide may not be used
13 during an oral prophylaxis procedure in a teledentistry
14 service by a dental hygienist. Prior to providing
15 teledentistry services to a patient, a dentist must obtain
16 informed consent from the patient as to the treatment proposed
17 to be offered through teledentistry by the dentist. The
18 informed consent form shall include a written statement
19 explaining the alternatives to and the capabilities and
20 limitations of teledentistry and shall advise that a
21 teledentistry interaction is not equivalent to an in-person
22 clinical examination and that the dentist is not physically
23 present. Such consent shall also be documented and included in
24 the patient's record. A dentist and dental hygienist providing
25 services via teledentistry under this Section shall provide
26 the patient with their names his or her name, direct telephone
    SB3211 Enrolled         - 11 - LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 numbers number, and physical practice addresses address. It is

2 a violation of this Act for a provider of dental services

3 rendering care through teledentistry to require a patient to

4 sign an agreement that limits in any way the patient's ability

5 to write a review of services received or file a complaint with

6 the Department or other regulatory agency. The Department

7 shall adopt rules, including, but not limited to, minimal

8 technology standards for teledentistry and rules to provide

9 for the use of teledentistry in the State of Illinois.

10  (c) A dentist may treat a patient of record to provide

11 emergent care or to conduct an initial screening consultation

12 using teledentistry. An initial screening may only be provided

13 using teledentistry by an Illinois-licensed dentist to assess

14 suitability of the patient for treatment at a dental facility

15 or for assessing for acute pain, infection, injury, or an

16 intraoral or perioral condition that presents immediate harm

17 or discomfort to the patient for which treatment cannot be

18 postponed for the purpose of treating or assessing for acute

19 pain, infection, injury, or any intraoral or perioral

20 condition that presents immediate harm or discomfort to the

21 patient for which treatment cannot be postponed. A provider of

22 dental services rendering care or providing a screening

23 through emergent care or conducting an initial consultation

24 through teledentistry must direct the patient to receive

25 appropriate in-person care after the provision of

26 teledentistry services.
    SB3211 Enrolled  - 12 - LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1   (d) An initial examination may be provided using

2 teledentistry but shall only be conducted for the purpose of

3 providing a consultation, for the provision of services

4 authorized in subsection (b), or for treating or assessing

5 acute pain, infection, injury, or any intraoral or perioral

6 condition that presents immediate harm or discomfort to the

7 patient for which treatment cannot be postponed. A provider of

8 dental services rendering care or providing a teledentistry

9 examination must direct the patient to receive appropriate

10 in-person care after the provision of teledentistry services.

11 An initial examination for new patients, excluding patients

12 seeking orthodontic, sleep apnea, or snoring treatment or the

13 functional and cosmetic replacement or treatment of teeth, may

14 be conducted through teledentistry if the authorizing

15 Illinois-licensed dentist establishes a bona fide

16 dentist-patient relationship by reviewing the patient's

17 medical and dental history and verifying both the patient's

18 identity and physical location to ensure that dental care is

19 being administered within the State.

20  An initial examination for orthodontia, sleep apnea, or

21 snoring treatment or the functional and cosmetic replacement

22 or treatment of teeth shall be performed in person only.

23 Additionally, an in-person clinical examination shall be

24 performed immediately before providing or authorizing services

25 or treatments to patients that are not reversible or that

26 otherwise result in increased risk to the patient. For ongoing
   SB3211 Enrolled  - 13 - LRB104 18507 AAS 31949 b

1 dentist-patient relationships, dentists shall direct patients

2 to be seen in person at least annually.

3  Nothing in this Section shall be construed to expand the

4 scope of practice for dental hygienists or establish

5 independent hygiene practice.

6 (Source: P.A. 103-902, eff. 8-9-24; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)
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