Illinois dental hygiene renewal is easier to manage when the renewal period, required CE hours, mandated topics, BLS/CPR proof, and certificates are tracked in one place.

This page is the maintained Illinois dental hygiene checklist for Continuing Education Tracking App. It replaces the old year-specific 2023, 2024, and 2025 variants so one page can be reviewed and updated instead of splitting search traffic across stale posts.

Quick facts

• License type: Illinois dental hygienist.
• Renewal timing: Dental hygienist licenses expire on September 30 every 3 years.
• CE total: 36 hours of continuing education relevant to dental hygiene during the prerenewal period.
• Prerenewal period: The 36 months before September 30 of the renewal year.
• First renewal: CE is not required for the first renewal after the original dental hygienist license is issued.
• BLS/CPR: Renewal includes certifying current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or an equivalent certification.
• Record retention: Keep CE evidence for at least 5 years after the renewal period in which the CE was taken.

Always verify the current rule text with IDFPR or the Illinois Administrative Code before renewing.

Required topics to track

Use the official rules as the source of truth, then track the categories separately from your total CE count.

36 hours of dental hygiene CE

Illinois requires dental hygienists to complete 36 hours of CE relevant to dental hygiene during the prerenewal period.

The rules also describe approved sponsors and acceptable dental or dental hygiene subject matter. Keep provider details with each course so you can explain why the activity counted.

BLS/CPR certification

Illinois dental hygienist renewal includes certifying current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or an equivalent certification. Track the expiration date separately from ordinary CE hours so it does not get lost in the course log.

Sexual harassment prevention training

Illinois requires a 1-hour sexual harassment prevention training course for professional license holders who are subject to CE requirements. The hour may count toward the minimum CE hours.

Implicit bias awareness training

Illinois requires a 1-hour implicit bias awareness training course for listed health care professionals, including dental hygienists. The hour may count toward the minimum CE hours and must be repeated for subsequent renewal periods.

CE formats and limits to double-check

The dental CE rule includes limits that are easy to miss:

• Individual study courses such as correspondence, audio, or video courses must include a test, and no more than 50% of the required CE hours may come from correspondence courses.
• Teaching CE courses can count, but no more than 50% of the required CE hours may come from teaching.
• Volunteer community oral health education presentations can count, but no more than 2 hours may be applied in a prerenewal period.
• CE used to satisfy a disciplinary order does not satisfy ordinary license-renewal CE.

If a course is from another jurisdiction or not from an Illinois approved sponsor, check the official program approval process before relying on it.

Documentation checklist

For each CE activity, keep:

• Course title and subject matter.
• Sponsor or provider name.
• Date and location or delivery format.
• Number of hours.
• Certificate of attendance or completion.
• Notes for required topics such as sexual harassment prevention or implicit bias.
• BLS/CPR certificate and expiration date.

How to track this in Continuing Education Tracking App

Set up Illinois dental hygiene as its own credential record, then log each item against the right renewal period:

• Add the Illinois dental hygiene license and renewal deadline.
• Add BLS/CPR as a separate expiring proof item.
• Log CE hours with topic labels for general dental hygiene CE, sexual harassment prevention, and implicit bias.
• Attach certificates as soon as they are issued.
• Export an organized summary before renewal week or if a board record request arrives.

Use these next:

• Dental CE tracker
• Start a free trial for Illinois dental hygiene proof

FAQ

How many CE hours does an Illinois dental hygienist need?

Illinois dental hygienists need 36 hours of CE relevant to dental hygiene during the prerenewal period.

How often do Illinois dental hygienists renew?

Illinois dental hygienist licenses expire on September 30 every 3 years.

Does BLS or CPR need separate tracking?

Yes. Renewal includes certifying current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or an equivalent certification, so track the certificate and expiration date separately from ordinary course totals.

Can Continuing Education Tracking App tell me whether a course is approved?

No. The app helps you organize licenses, deadlines, CE records, certificates, and renewal proof. You should still verify course approval and current requirements with IDFPR or the official rules.