Illinois Dental Solutions

10/24/2025

Exciting news from the latest Illinois dental board meeting! Read all about it below!

Exciting news for dental assistants in Illinois from the latest meeting of the IDFPR Dental Board… read all about it below!

The BIG NEWS came from some questions posed by the Illinois Dental Hygienist Association regarding Silver Diamine Fluoride and Glass Ionomer Cement.

Glass Ionomer Cements are currently not specified in the dental act, so are they always considered a restoration? Or, when they are used as a sealant or interim restoration, are they allowed to be placed by dental assistants that are properly trained? While it has less retention rate than composites for sealant purposes, it has been useful in compromised access situations, and it’s ability to provide fluoride to the site can be very beneficial in those very same cases.

Silver Diamine Fluoride: Is it Fluoride, or is it a restoration? This becomes a tricky issue because even though it HAS fluoride inside, it has not been decided if it is considered preventative or therapeutic. Many states allow dental assistants to apply SDF as an alternative sealant product, but Illinois law doesn’t explicitly list it in the dental act. Medical Assistants in Illinois CAN place SDF after training, so is there any reason why dental assistants aren’t allowed to after similar CE training? Especially under supervision of a licensed dentist?

I was fortunately able to speak up in favor of dental assistants applying SDF. With the current situation of less licensed hygienists in the state than dentists, having more opportunities for dental assistants to help provide relief and prevent further decay with little risk would be beneficial for all.

Fortunately, the dental board has added SDF and Glass Ionomer to the upcoming December 2nd board meeting agenda, and we’ll be there to advocate for dental assistants in the state to help provide opportunities for those with limited access to care. We will let you know how it all goes!

Brett ODonnell
Legislative Advocate for the American Dental Assistants Association

09/22/2025

Watch this excerpt from a recent speech by Brett Odonnell about the differences between traditional and human based systems!

07/28/2025

NEW CLASS SCHEDULE ALERT! Congrats to our July Coronal Polishing Grads! They can now legally polish teeth above the gum line in dental practices across Illinois! We love offering local classes that are easy to get to at convenient times... instead of having to worry when a class is available and where it is! With that in mind, we've updated IllinoisDentalSolutions.com with MONTHLY coronal polishing, coronal scaling, and sealants classes for dental professionals to get these legally required courses!

We aim to give the best value, most convenient location, with the most available times so you can get the training you need to treat for the patients in your practice ASAP! With only 400 hygienists graduating each year, the 150,000 kindergarteners in the state need more dental professionals who are properly and legally trained to ensure they get the care they need!