(225 ILCS 25/25.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)

Sec. 25.1. Subpoena powers.

(a) The Department, upon a determination by the chairperson of the Board that reasonable cause exists that a violation of one or more of the grounds for discipline set forth in Section 23 or Section 24 of this Act has occurred or is occurring, may subpoena the dental records of individual patients of dentists and dental hygienists licensed under this Act.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, the Board and the Department may subpoena copies of hospital, medical, or dental records in mandatory report cases alleging death or permanent bodily injury when consent to obtain the records has not been provided by a patient or a patient's legal representative. All records and other information received pursuant to a subpoena shall be confidential and shall be afforded the same status as information concerning medical studies under Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure. The use of these records shall be restricted to members of the Board, the dental coordinator, and appropriate Department staff designated by the Secretary for the purpose of determining the existence of one or more grounds for discipline of the dentist or dental hygienist as provided for in Section 23 or Section 24 of this Act.

(c) Any review of an individual patient's records shall be conducted by the Department in strict confidentiality, provided that the patient records shall be admissible in a disciplinary hearing before the Secretary, the Board, or a hearing officer designated by the Department when necessary to substantiate the grounds for discipline alleged against the dentist or dental hygienist licensed under this Act.

(d) The Department may provide reimbursement for fees and mileage associated with its subpoena power in the same manner prescribed by law for judicial procedure in a civil case.

(e) Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, now or hereafter amended, to the extent applicable.

(f) All information gathered by the Department during any investigation, including information subpoenaed under this Act and the investigative file, shall be kept for the confidential use of the Secretary, the dental coordinator, the Board's attorneys, the dental investigative staff, authorized clerical staff, and persons employed by contract to advise the dental coordinator or the Department as provided in this Act, except that the Department may disclose information and documents to (i) a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency pursuant to a subpoena in an ongoing criminal investigation or (ii) a dental licensing authority of another state or jurisdiction pursuant to an official request made by that authority. Any information or documents disclosed by the Department to a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency may only be used by that agency for the investigation and prosecution of a criminal offense. Any information or documents disclosed by the Department to a dental licensing authority of another state or jurisdiction may only be used by that authority for investigations and disciplinary proceedings with regards to a license.

This subsection (f) applies only to causes of action accruing on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 96-1221, eff. 7-23-10.)