WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 3019

DENTAL PRACTICE ACT EXTENSION

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 18 co-sponsors

Extend the Illinois Dental Practice Act to 2036, add license-pending paths for general dentists and hygienists, expand public health rules, and require insurer MLR reporting.

Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0028
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 3019

Summary — HB 3019 (Public Act 104‑0028): Dental Practice Act Extension and Related Changes

Status: Enrolled as Public Act 104‑0028 (Governor approved July 1, 2025). Effective date: January 1, 2026. Introduced by Rep. Theresa Mah (chief sponsor later changed to Rep. Lindsey LaPointe).

Purpose / Intent

Primarily to extend the statutory life of the Illinois Dental Practice Act and to make multiple updates to licensing, supervision, and practice rules for dental professionals. The enrolled act also includes related provisions affecting health insurers (medical loss ratio reporting and rebates) and clarifications to autism coverage in the Insurance Code.

Key provisions — Dental Practice Act

  • Repeal date extended: Moves the repeal of the Illinois Dental Practice Act from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2036 by amending the Regulatory Sunset Act.
  • Expanded list of recognized dental specialties/“branches of dentistry”: adds oral and maxillofacial pathology, dental public health, oral medicine, and orofacial pain to the statutory list.
  • License‑pending practice:
    • New Sec. 13.2 permits an applicant who has passed the Department‑approved general dentist licensure exam, filed a license application, and paid fees to work as a “license‑pending general dentist” under delegation of a licensed dentist.
    • New Sec. 13.4 provides a parallel authorization for license‑pending dental hygienists meeting the same conditions.
    • The authorization ends on license issuance, denial, a Department request to stop, or after 6 months from the exam pass date (the Department may extend this period by rule).
  • Temporary dental hygiene license: creates a time‑limited license for dental students who meet defined requirements; holders must practice under dentist supervision; license active for one year.
  • Public health provisions:
    • Extends and clarifies public health dentistry definitions (e.g., “public health dental hygienist,” “public health setting,” “public health supervision”).
    • Removes prior language that had made public health dentistry provisions inoperative after Jan 1, 2026.
  • Other operational changes: lengthens the implementation deadline for an order addressing dental services for incarcerated patients who cannot travel to a dental office from 45 days to 180 days after the order’s issuance.
  • Many definitional and supervision clarifications (supervision vs. general supervision, patient‑of‑record rules, mobile/portable dental units, etc.).

Key provisions — Insurance Code (included in enrolled act)

  • New Sec. 355.7 (Medical Loss Ratio — MLR): requires health insurers (group and individual, including grandfathered plans) to file MLR reports with the Director (copy of the federal 42 U.S.C. 300gg‑18 report), disclose how premium dollars are spent (clinical services; quality improvement; other non‑claims costs), and make reports public on the Department’s website.
    • If federal MLR/rebate rules change after Jan 15, 2025 in a way that reduces state rebates, insurers must file supplemental reports or make supplemental rebate payments to ensure enrollees receive the same level of rebates as before the federal change.
    • Costs excluded from “claims/quality” include executive compensation beyond base salary, surplus/profit, and certain wellness program application costs.
  • Amendments/clarifications to autism coverage statute (356z.14) retained/clarified (existing coverage for individuals under 21; $36,000 annual cap adjusted for inflation; parity protections, etc.).

Who is affected

  • Dental professionals: dentists, dental hygienists, dental students, dental assistants, expanded‑function assistants, and dental laboratories — by new licensing pathways, supervision rules, and specialty recognition.
  • Dental education programs and employers: may hire license‑pending practitioners and temporary hygiene license holders under specified conditions.
  • Patients: particularly those served in public‑health settings (e.g., prisons, school‑based programs, FQHCs) and incarcerated patients who cannot travel offsite.
  • Health insurers and policyholders: subject to expanded MLR reporting and potential rebate requirements.
  • Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: rulemaking and oversight responsibilities (licensing, extensions, public posting of reports).

Timeline / Procedure

  • Introduced February 2025; passed both chambers (House concurrence with Senate amendments May 29–31, 2025).
  • Sent to Governor June 24, 2025; approved July 1, 2025.
  • Effective date: January 1, 2026.

Notes / Implementation

  • The new license‑pending provisions create a time‑limited, supervised pathway to practice after exam passage but prior to formal license issuance; the Department may adopt rules (e.g., extend 6‑month period).
  • The MLR reporting provision ties Illinois reporting to federal filings and contains a backstop to preserve prior rebate levels if federal requirements are weakened.
  • The act is primarily regulatory/administrative rather than funding‑oriented; impacts will depend on Department rules and administrative implementation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.