Illinois Board of Dentistry

Dental licensing in Illinois is administered by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The Illinois Board of Dentistry is an advisory body created under 225 ILCS 25/6 of the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Licensing authority — including the issuance, renewal, and discipline of dental licenses — is exercised by IDFPR, not the Board independently.

The Board is composed of 11 members appointed by the Secretary of IDFPR: 8 licensed dentists (each with at least 5 years in practice), 2 licensed dental hygienists (each with at least 5 years in practice), and 1 public member. Members serve 4-year terms and may not serve more than 2 full terms in a lifetime. The Board annually elects a chairperson and vice-chairperson, both of whom must be dentists, and by rule must meet at least quarterly. The Board makes recommendations to the Secretary on licensing standards, conducts formal disciplinary proceedings brought under the Act, and establishes guidelines for applicant qualifications.

Dentists were among the first professions regulated when IDFPR (then the Department of Registration and Education) was created in 1917. Dental hygienists were added to the Act in 1945, and dental specialists in 1947.

IDFPR maintains two offices that handle dental licensing inquiries and administrative matters:

• Chicago Office — 555 West Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661
• Springfield Office — 320 West Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Springfield, IL 62786

IDFPR issues dental licenses, registrations, and permits across the following credential types:

• Dentist, Licensed — standard full dental practice license.
• Dental Hygienist, Registered — preventive and clinical hygiene services under dentist supervision.
• Dental Hygienist, Temporary — a one-year credential, added by Public Act 104-0103 (effective August 1, 2025), for dental hygiene students who meet certain requirements; holders must practice under the supervision of a dentist.
• Licensed Specialty in Dentistry — for practitioners certified in a recognized dental specialty.
• Dentist, Temporary — temporary practice authorization for dentists in limited circumstances.
• Restricted Faculty License — permits dental professionals affiliated with an accredited educational program to practice in a teaching and clinical capacity.
• Temporary Dental Teacher License — a teaching-focused credential for dental educators in accredited programs.
• Dental Sedation Permit — required authorization for dentists who administer sedation.
• Dental/Dental Hygiene CE Sponsor — credential for organizations approved to sponsor continuing education for Illinois dental professionals.
• Dentist, Controlled Substance — authorization related to controlled substance prescribing.

Most new Illinois dental license applications are submitted through CORE, IDFPR's online licensing system launched October 30, 2024, at ildfprprod.state-reg-central.tylerapp.com. Some credential types — including dentist endorsement applications, dental sedation permits, and licensed specialty in dentistry — continue to be processed through the legacy portal at online-dfpr.micropact.com.

General qualifications and examinations

Under 225 ILCS 25/9, applicants for a dentist license must be at least 21 years old, of good moral character, and a graduate of a dental college accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (or meet an equivalent foreign-credential pathway). Applicants must also pass the integrated National Board Dental Examination and successfully complete one of the following Department-accepted clinical examinations, per 68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.120:

• CDCA-WREB-CITA Examination
• CRDTS Examination (Central Regional Dental Testing Service)
• SRTA Examination (Southern Regional Testing Agency)

Exam scores must be submitted to IDFPR directly from the testing entity, and the exam must have been completed within 5 years of the application if the applicant has never been licensed in another jurisdiction. Illinois does not require a separate jurisprudence examination for dentist or hygienist licensure.

Out-of-state licensees (licensure by endorsement)

Under 225 ILCS 25/19, a dentist, dental specialist, or dental hygienist licensed in another state or territory with substantially equivalent requirements may be granted an Illinois license by endorsement if they have been lawfully practicing for at least 2 years immediately preceding their Illinois application and submit an attested certificate of licensure and good moral character from their licensing board. "Substantially equivalent" means graduation from an ADA-accredited dental college and passage of both the National Board Dental Examination and a regional clinical exam. Applicants have 3 years from the date of application to complete the process, or the application is denied and the fee forfeited.

Illinois dentists and dental hygienists must complete continuing education (CE) as a condition of license renewal, under 68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440. The "prerenewal period" runs for the 36 months preceding September 30 of the renewal year.

CE hours by license type

Mandated CE topics

• Sexual harassment prevention training — 1 hour every 3-year renewal period for both dentists and dental hygienists; dentists must also offer sexual harassment training to their employees annually.
• Safe opioid prescribing practices — 3 hours once per 3-year cycle for licensees holding a Controlled Substances Registration.
• Implicit bias awareness training — 1 hour every renewal cycle, in effect since the 2024 renewal cycle.
• Mandated reporter training — required at least every 6 years for dentists and hygienists who work with children in a professional capacity.
• BLS/CPR certification — required for renewal; counts for no more than 4 hours of CE per licensure period and must include a hands-on skills component (cannot be completed 100% online).
• Sedation permit holders (Permit A or B) — must complete 9 of their 48 required hours in sedation techniques, including medications and management of complications and emergencies.
• Nitrous oxide administration (dental hygienists) — a 6-hour course with both didactic and clinical components before administering or monitoring nitrous oxide.

The scope of dental practice in Illinois is defined by the Illinois Dental Practice Act (225 ILCS 25) and its administrative rules at 68 Ill. Admin. Code Part 1220. These govern what each dental credential type may perform, under what supervisory conditions, and in what settings.

Third-party financing notice requirement

The Dental Practice Act requires dentists, dental employees, and dental agents to provide written notice — in at least 14-point font — to a patient or the patient's guardian when discussing or providing applications for financing extended by a third party, except when simply stating accepted forms of payment.

Complaints about Illinois dental professionals — dentists, dental hygienists, and other IDFPR-licensed dental credential holders — are filed with IDFPR's Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), which receives and investigates complaints under the Dental Practice Act.

How to file a complaint

• Online form — submit through the DPR Online Complaint Form.
• PDF form — download and mail the DPR Complaint form to the Complaint Intake Unit at 555 West Monroe Street, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60661.
• Phone — call the Complaint Intake Unit at 312-814-6910.
• Email — write to FPR.CIU@illinois.gov.

The same forms can also be used to submit a self-report. If you don't know the phone number of the person or business you're reporting, IDFPR's form instructs you to enter "111-111-1111"; if you don't know their street address, enter "N/A" and complete the remaining address fields.

License status and disciplinary history for Illinois dental professionals can be searched through IDFPR's License Lookup tool at online-dfpr.micropact.com/lookup/licenselookup.aspx.

To search, select DENTAL from the License Type dropdown, then narrow your search by license number, licensee name, city, county, state, or zip code. You can also filter by license status (active licenses only, or all statuses) to identify inactive, suspended, or revoked licenses. A CAPTCHA must be completed to run the search.

IDFPR also publishes formal board orders and disciplinary actions on its Review Enforcement Actions page, organized by profession and date.