Public Act 90-0544 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0544
SB786 Re-enrolled LRB9000564JSccA
AN ACT to amend the Illinois Dental Practice Act by
changing Section 16.1.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Dental Practice Act is amended by
changing Section 16.1 as follows:
(225 ILCS 25/16.1) (from Ch. 111, par. 2316.1)
Sec. 16.1. Continuing education. The Department shall
promulgate rules of continuing education for persons licensed
under this Act. In establishing rules, the Department shall
require a minimum of 32 hours of study in approved courses
for dentists during each 2 year licensing period and a
minimum of 24 hours of study in approved courses for dental
hygienists during each 2 year licensing period. These
continuing education rules shall only apply to licenses
renewed after November 1, 1992.
The Department shall approve only courses that are
relevant to the treatment and care of patients, including,
but not limited to, clinical courses in dentistry and dental
hygiene and nonclinical courses such as patient management,
legal and ethical responsibilities, and stress management.
Courses shall not be approved in such subjects as estate and
financial planning, investments, or personal health.
Approved courses may include, but shall not be limited to,
courses that are offered or sponsored by approved colleges,
universities, and hospitals and by recognized national,
State, and local dental and dental hygiene organizations.
No license shall be renewed unless the renewal
application is accompanied by an affidavit indicating that
the applicant has completed the required minimum number of
hours of continuing education in approved courses as required
by this Section. The affidavit shall not require a listing
of courses. The affidavit shall be a prima facie evidence
that the applicant has obtained the minimum number of
required continuing education hours in approved courses. The
Department shall not be obligated to conduct random audits or
otherwise independently verify that an applicant has met the
continuing education requirement. The Department, however,
may not conduct random audits of more than 10% of the
licensed dentists and dental hygienists in any one licensing
cycle to verify compliance with continuing education
requirements. If the Department, however, receives a
complaint that a licensee has not completed the required
continuing education or if the Department is investigating
another alleged violation of this Act by a licensee, the
Department may demand and shall be entitled to receive
specific evidence from any licensee of completion of required
continuing education courses for the most recently completed
2 year licensing period. Evidence of continuing education may
include, but is not limited to, canceled checks, official
verification forms of attendance, and continuing education
recording forms, that demonstrate a reasonable record of
attendance. The Illinois State Board of Dentistry shall
determine, in accordance with rules adopted by the
Department, whether a licensee or applicant has met the
continuing education requirements. Any dentist who holds more
than one license under this Act shall be required to complete
only the minimum number of hours of continuing education
required for renewal of a single license. The Department may
provide exemptions from continuing education requirements.
The exemptions shall include, but shall not be limited to,
dentists and dental hygienists who agree not to practice
within the State during the licensing period because they are
retired from practice.
(Source: P.A. 89-80, eff. 6-30-95; 89-116, eff. 7-7-95.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect
January 1, 1998.