IL DH Juris key terms

Illinois statute separate from the Dental Practice Act that defines the legal scope of dental hygiene practice, supervision categories, licensure pathways, and grounds for discipline of hygienists.

Illinois law that establishes the Board of Dentistry, licensure of dentists and hygienists, delegated functions, permit programs, and disciplinary authority over dental professionals in the state.

Advisory body appointed under the Illinois Dental Practice Act that reviews applications, recommends licensure decisions, and hears disciplinary matters involving dentists and dental hygienists.

Supervision level in which the dentist is physically present in the office and has authorized the procedure in advance, evaluating the patient's condition and the hygienist's work.

Supervision level in which the dentist has authorized procedures but need not be physically present on site while the hygienist performs them, with the dentist retaining responsibility for the patient's care.

Expanded Illinois supervision category allowing hygienists to treat patients in specified public health settings, such as schools and health departments, without a dentist on site but under established protocols.

Written arrangement between a dentist and hygienist that authorizes the hygienist to provide defined services in specified settings, documenting supervision terms, protocols, and referral pathways.

Tasks a dentist may assign to a hygienist or assistant under Illinois law, limited to those expressly listed and performed at the supervision level the statute or rules require.

Additional clinical procedures, such as certain restorative or periodontal tasks, that a hygienist may perform only after completing required Illinois training and holding any credential the rules mandate.

Removal of extrinsic stain and plaque from tooth crowns using a rubber cup or brush, a preventive procedure hygienists perform within their scope and under applicable supervision.

Therapeutic removal of calculus and bacterial deposits from root surfaces to treat periodontal disease, a core dental hygiene service requiring clinical competence and authorized supervision.

Preventive cleaning of tooth surfaces to remove plaque and stain and to promote oral health, performed by hygienists as a routine service within their licensed scope.

Illinois credential allowing a licensed hygienist to administer local anesthesia after completing approved education, passing the required examination, and submitting an application to the Department.

Illinois credential authorizing a hygienist to administer or monitor nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation after completing required training and meeting the Department's application and renewal conditions.

Required coursework Illinois licensees complete each renewal cycle to maintain competence, including mandated subject areas such as infection control, ethics, and, where applicable, anesthesia training.

Process by which a hygienist periodically revalidates an Illinois license by paying fees, reporting completed continuing education, and attesting to lawful, competent practice.

Status of a license not renewed by its expiration date, which bars practice until the licensee meets reinstatement requirements and pays any penalties the Department imposes.

Reinstatement of a license that has been inactive, lapsed, or disciplined, typically requiring an application, fee, evidence of continuing education, and sometimes additional review or examination.

Standard Illinois pathway in which an applicant passes required national and regional clinical examinations and meets education and character requirements before receiving a hygienist license.

Illinois pathway allowing a hygienist licensed in another jurisdiction to obtain an Illinois license based on verified credentials, experience, and equivalent examination history rather than retaking all examinations.

Practices and procedures, including hand hygiene, barrier use, and instrument processing, required in Illinois dental settings to prevent transmission of infectious agents between patients and staff.

Process using heat, steam, or chemical agents to destroy all microorganisms on dental instruments, with monitoring records kept to verify effectiveness in Illinois practices.

Infection-control approach treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, requiring gloves, masks, eye protection, and gowns as appropriate for anticipated exposure.

Written employer plan required in dental offices that describes how occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens is minimized, including procedures, protective equipment, and post-exposure follow-up.

Patient's voluntary agreement to treatment after receiving an explanation of the proposed procedure, its risks, benefits, alternatives, and consequences of declining, documented in the record.

Documentation of a patient's history, examination findings, treatment, consent, and communications, which Illinois licensees must create and retain accurately for the required period.

Duty to protect patient health information from unauthorized disclosure, permitting release only with patient consent or as required or allowed by law, including public health reporting.

Legal obligation of Illinois licensees to report certain events, such as suspected child abuse or neglect or impaired colleagues, to the designated authority within required timeframes.

Licensee whose ability to practice is compromised by substance abuse, mental illness, or physical condition, which may trigger reporting obligations and referral to an assistance program.

Statutory reasons a license may be denied, suspended, or revoked in Illinois, including fraud, incompetence, unprofessional conduct, and practice while impaired or unlicensed.

Immediate temporary suspension of a license when the Department finds a serious risk to public safety, effective before a full hearing, with a hearing required afterward.

Behavior falling below accepted standards of dental practice, such as practicing beyond scope, falsifying records, or failing to maintain patient confidentiality, and subject to discipline.

The range of services a hygienist is legally authorized to perform in Illinois, defined by statute and rules and limited by education, supervision requirements, and any permits held.

Professional duties of honesty, patient welfare, competence, and respect for autonomy that guide hygienists' decisions and support public trust in the dental profession.

Providing dental hygiene care while affected by substances, illness, or fatigue that compromises judgment or skill, which is prohibited and may require reporting and treatment referral.

Unethical withdrawal from a treatment relationship without adequate notice, referral, or opportunity for the patient to arrange continued care, exposing the patient to harm.