093_SB0595

 
                                     LRB093 08040 AMC 08239 b

 1        AN ACT concerning dental hygienists.

 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
 5    by changing Section 18 as follows:

 6        (225 ILCS 25/18) (from Ch. 111, par. 2318)
 7        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
 8        Sec.  18.   Acts  constituting  the  practice  of  dental
 9    hygiene;.  limitations. A dental hygienist may be employed or
10    engaged only:
11             (a)  Under the supervision of a dentist:
12                  (1)  In the office of a dentist;
13                  (2)  By a federal, State, county  or  municipal
14             agency or institution;
15                  (3)  By a public or private school; or
16                  (4)  By  a  public  clinic  operating under the
17             direction of a hospital or federal,  State,  county,
18             municipal or other public agency or institution.
19        When employed or engaged pursuant to this paragraph (a) a
20    dental  hygienist  may  perform  the following procedures and
21    acts:
22                  (i)  the operative procedure of dental hygiene,
23             consisting of oral prophylactic procedures;
24                  (ii)  the  exposure  and  processing  of  X-Ray
25             films of the teeth and surrounding structures;
26                  (iii)  the application to the surfaces  of  the
27             teeth  or  gums of chemical compounds designed to be
28             desensitizing agents  or  effective  agents  in  the
29             prevention of dental caries or periodontal disease;
30                  (iv)  all  services which may be performed by a
31             dental assistant as specified by  rule  pursuant  to
 
                            -2-      LRB093 08040 AMC 08239 b
 1             Section 17;
 2                  (v)  administration  and  monitoring of nitrous
 3             oxide  upon  successful  completion  of  a  training
 4             program approved by the Department  of  Professional
 5             Regulation;
 6                  (vi)  administration  of local anesthetics upon
 7             successful completion of a training program approved
 8             by the Department; and
 9                  (vii) such other procedures and acts  as  shall
10             be   prescribed   by   rule  or  regulation  of  the
11             Department.
12             (b)  Under the general supervision of a dentist in a
13        long-term  care  facility  licensed  by  the   State   of
14        Illinois,  or a mental health or developmental disability
15        facility operated by the Department of Human Services, if
16        the patient is  unable  to  travel  to  a  dental  office
17        because  of  illness  or  infirmity.   The  dentist shall
18        personally examine and diagnose the patient and determine
19        which services are necessary to be performed, which shall
20        be contained in a written order to the  hygienist.   Such
21        order must be implemented within 90 days of its issuance,
22        and  an  updated medical history and oral inspection must
23        be  performed  by  the  hygienist  immediately  prior  to
24        beginning the procedures to  ensure  that  the  patient's
25        health  has  not  changed  in  any  manner  to  warrant a
26        reexamination by the dentist.
27             (c)  Without the supervision of a dentist, a  dental
28        hygienist  may  perform dental health education functions
29        and  may  record  case  histories  and  oral   conditions
30        observed.
31        The  number  of  dental hygienists practicing in a dental
32    office shall not exceed, at any one time, 4 times the  number
33    of dentists practicing in the office at the time.
34    (Source: P.A. 91-594, eff. 1-1-00; 91-689, eff. 1-1-01.)