Session Overview: ISDS Secures Major Wins for Dentists in 2025 Legislative Session

Advocacy work at the state legislature has a direct impact on your dental practice every day, and this legislative session was no exception. In a very busy session, the Illinois State Dental Society (ISDS) advanced priority legislation, blocked harmful proposals, and protected the profession and patients as thousands of bills and fast-paced negotiations took place. While you focus on patient care, ISDS is working diligently in the legislature to ensure that lawmakers understand the real-world challenges faced by dentists and their patients.

In 2025, ISDS advanced three major initiatives that strengthen the dental profession:

• Modernization of the Dental Practice Act
• Assignment of benefits reform
• Streamlined requirements for electronic claims submission

With more than 6,600 bills filed and approximately 430 passed, ISDS tracked over 175 of those bills that had the potential to impact dentistry. Thanks to strong advocacy, we also halted efforts to license dental therapists and denturists, as well as the expansion of public health dental hygienists’ practice locations. 

Keep reading below for more information about what passed, what didn’t, and what it means for the future of our profession.

Want to stay informed? Text “toothparty” to 888-527-3108 for ISDS legislative updates straight to your phone. 

2025 ISDS Legislative Agenda Focuses on Modernization and Access

ISDS prioritized modernization of dental laws, insurance fairness, and access to care as part of a focused 2025 agenda that delivered legislative wins that will benefit dentists and patients across Illinois.

Dental Practice Act Modernized and Reauthorized Through 2030

ISDS secured long-term stability and meaningful updates to the Dental Practice Act, ensuring Illinois dentists can continue to practice under modern, profession-forward standards.

In 2025, the Dental Practice Act needed to be reauthorized by the legislature. This was a major initiative and priority for ISDS.  Like all practice acts, the Dental Practice Act expires every 10 years. To ensure it remains in effect, legislative action was necessary.

ISDS successfully passed legislation to reauthorize and modernize the Dental Practice Act. Key changes include:

• Recognition of all 12 of the dental specialties, recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). Currently the Illinois Dental Practice Act only recognizes 8 of the 12 specialties.
• Extend the length of time from 45 days to 180 days that a dental hygienist can treat a patient under general supervision in the prison system.  Previous legislation set the limit at 45 days, which created issues in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
• Allows new dental school graduates, provided certain criteria is met, to practice dentistry under a licensed dentist’s delegation while awaiting licensure.
• Allows new dental hygiene graduates, provided certain criteria is met, to practice dental hygiene under a licensed dentist's delegation while awaiting licensure.

Additionally, legislation was passed to reauthorize the Illinois Dental Practice Act for another 5 years.

Both bills have been signed by the Governor and are effective immediately.

• SB 1463 (Morrison/Mah)- Dental Practice Act Modernization.
• SB 2492 (Glowiak Hilton/Morgan) - 5 Year Extension.

ISDS Leads Assignment of Benefits Reform

ISDS closed a loophole in state law by ensuring patients can direct insurers to pay dental providers directly, helping streamline billing and reduce upfront costs.

This year, ISDS introduced and passed legislation requiring dental insurers to honor assignments of benefits (AOB), something already required of health insurers under Illinois law. Without this requirement, dentists often have to collect full payment from patients or wait for reimbursement.

The new law allows patients to request that insurers pay their providers directly, reducing both administrative burden and out-of-pocket surprises.

SB 1392 (Cervantes/Ryan): The legislation has been signed by the Governor, it will take effect January 1, 2026.

Bringing Clarity and Flexibility to Electronic Claims  

ISDS-backed legislation enhances transparency in insurance coverage and gives providers more flexibility in meeting electronic claims submission requirements.

Previous law mandated that all dentists submit insurance claims electronically beginning January 1, 2026. However, the law did not outline any criteria.

In response, ISDS pursued and passed legislation to modernize electronic claims submission. Most importantly, the new law requires insurers to provide clear and detailed information about patient benefits and eligibility. Dentists will receive 22 specific data points to help them better understand patient coverage.

The data will include critical information such as:

• Plan effective date
• Covered services
• Deductibles and which services they apply to
• Coinsurance rates for in- and out-of-network care
• Frequency limitations by service and by tooth number
• Prior authorization requirements
• And more that will make coverage easier to interpret and verify upfront

To support stronger implementation and provide clearer guidance for all parties, the legislation now includes the following:

• The compliance date has been extended to January 1, 2027, to give all stakeholders time to prepare.
• Exemption language has been clarified to reflect realistic practice scenarios better. For example, a solo practitioner exemption now applies to those working fewer than 16 hours per week.
• A phase-in period is included for dentists who purchase a practice that had previously qualified for an exemption.
• Technology-related exemptions are in place to cover system outages or natural disasters.
• The bill still requires insurers to establish an electronic claims portal and accept attachments, such as X-rays, to streamline the claims process.

HB 1864 (Rita/Cervantes): This legislation has been signed by the Governor, and it will take effect January 1, 2027.

ISDS Pushes for Enforcement of Virtual Credit Cards

Despite a 2023 legislative win, ISDS continues to advocate for stronger enforcement to stop insurers from charging dentists fees to receive payments.

ISDS passed legislation in 2023 to prohibit insurance companies from requiring dentists to pay fees, often hidden, in order to receive reimbursements via virtual credit cards. The law, which took effect on January 1, 2024, required insurers to pay the full contracted amount directly to the provider.

However, since the implementation, dentists have continued to report problems. ISDS remains actively engaged with the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) to push for proper enforcement and to clarify how the federal ERISA exemption may or may not impact the law's reach.

HB 3476 (Gong-Gershowitz): Referred to House Rules Committee.

Advocacy Continues for Medicaid Dental Rate Increases for Children

ISDS pushed for increased Medicaid rates to improve access for children, laying groundwork for future reform despite funding obstacles.

The Illinois Medicaid program ranks 49^th in the country for how much the State Medicaid program reimburses dentists for dental services for children. This year, ISDS pursued legislation to increase these reimbursement rates to improve access to care for low-income families, reduce preventable emergency treatments, and address oral health disparities.

Unfortunately, significant limitations in the state budget, and uncertainty over federal Medicaid changes, prevented funding from moving forward this year.

Despite this, ISDS continues to work with legislators and the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS) to address many of the administrative issues providers face with the Medicaid program. 

HB 2554/ SB 1580 (Mason/Villa)-33% increase: Re-referred to House Rules Committee.

HB 2554/ SB 1581 (Mason/Villa)-50% increase: Re-referred to House Rules Committee. 

2025 Other Legislative Issues: ISDS Blocks Harmful Proposals

ISDS successfully defeated multiple proposals that could have compromised patient safety and added new burdens for providers.

While not all bills directly aligned with ISDS’s legislative agenda, several posed significant risks to the profession and public health. In 2025, ISDS actively tracked and engaged on a range of proposals and ultimately stopped several from advancing.

Below are key highlights of the issues ISDS helped block this session:

ISDS Stops Denturist Licensure Legislation from Advancing

ISDS successfully blocked a proposal that would have allowed for the licensure of denturists and for them to treat patients without any involvement from a licensed dentist.

Legislation filed by the Illinois Denturists’ Association sought to license denturists to fit and provide dentures to patients without an examination from a licensed dentist. ISDS strongly opposed the legislation and met with lawmakers to express our concerns. Due to strong opposition from ISDS, the bill did not advance during the legislative session.

HB 1739 (Briel): The bill has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee. 

Second Attempt to License Dental Therapists Fails  

ISDS stopped legislation that would have licensed dental therapists. For the second consecutive year, legislation was introduced that would have allowed dental therapists to provide dental services, including extractions, without an examination of a dentist.

ISDS strongly opposed the legislation and worked closely with lawmakers to raise serious concerns about its impact on patient safety and quality of care. The bill ultimately failed to advance.

HB 3418 (Jimenez): The bill has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee. 

ISDS Halts Expansion of Public Health Hygienist Practice Locations

ISDS successfully blocked efforts to expand public health dental hygienist practice settings beyond public health sites.

The Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association (IDHA) introduced legislation to expand the locations of where a Public Health Dental Hygienist (PHDH) can provide services. Under the current law, PHDHs can only provide services in certain public health settings, which include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), school-based programs, prisons, and long-term care facilities.  The proposed legislation would allow PHDHs to provide services in any setting, except for private dental offices.

ISDS opposed the legislation citing concerns over patient safety and lack of oversight. Thanks to strong member advocacy, the bill did not move forward during this legislative session. Your voices were heard.

SB 1982 (Edly-Allen): The bill has been re-referred to the Senate Committee on Assignments.

ISDS and AAO Stop Bill Eliminating In-Person Exam Requirement in Mobile Units

ISDS and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) successfully opposed legislation that would have removed in-person exam requirements for mobile teledentistry services.

Legislation was filed this legislative session to remove the in-person examination requirement of teledentistry services delivered in a mobile van or mobile clinic. The proposal would have applied to diagnostic, preventive, and periodontal services.

ISDS and AAO raised concerns about this legislation. Due to those concerns, the bill did not advance this session.

SB 2056 (Hastings): The bill has been re-referred to the Senate Committee on Assignments.

ISDS Opposes Advance Billing Ban; Bill Referred Back to Committee

ISDS successfully opposed a bill that would have prohibited collecting payment at the time of service.

The legislation would have prohibited all health care providers, including dentists, from requiring patients to pay at the time of service.

ISDS, along with other health care organizations, opposed this bill. ISDS met with the sponsoring legislator to express our concerns. Due to this opposition, the bill did not move forward this session.

HB 1229 (Harper): This bill has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee. 

ISDS Leads During Negotiations on Anesthesia Review Panel Representation

ISDS led successful negotiations to improve representation and fairness on the State Board of Dentistry’s anesthesia panel. In the 2024 legislative session, legislation was passed that addressed issues with moderate sedation permits. This legislation was a very long and complex process, requiring significant negotiation between the Illinois Society of Pediatric Dentists (ISPD), ISDS, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).

In 2025, ISPD introduced legislation that would statutorily require an anesthesia review panel. While this panel already exists in rule, it is currently not utilized by IDFPR. However, the legislation did more than just reinstate the anesthesia review panel, it also added certain eligibility requirements for serving on it.  It called for three representatives each from Permit A and Permit B holders. 

Under the proposed ISPD legislation:

• Permit A holders had to meet the following requirements:
  • A member of an organization for pediatric dentists in the State
  • A member of an organization for periodontists in the State; and
  • A general dentist.
• Permit B holders had to meet the following requirements:
  • A member who is licensed as a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery;
  • A dentist who is a dental anesthesiologist; and
  • A general dentist. 

ISDS convened a panel of experts to review the proposal and raised concerns about the composition and limitations of the review panel. Continued discussions took place among IDFPR, ISDS, and ISPD.

ISDS proposed an amendment that accomplished the following:

• Added two overall seats to the State Board of Dentistry
  • One seat for a Permit A holder without restriction for specialty type
  • One seat for a Permit B holder without restriction for specialty type

    All stakeholders accepted the ISDS amendment, and ISDS supported the bill following its adoption.

    As the bill continued to move forward, ISPD filed an amendment to make further changes to the anesthesia law. ISDS had strong concerns about the amendment, as the proposal would have changed several items that were agreed to in 2024. That amendment did not move forward.

    Ultimately, the legislation that passed both chambers accomplishes the following:

• Added two overall seats to the State Board of Dentistry
  • One seat for a Permit A holder without restriction for specialty type
  • One seat for a Permit B holder without restriction for specialty type

SB 1325 (Morrison/Mah): This legislation has been signed by the Governor and will take effect on January 1, 2026.