Below is exactly what Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) — Board of Dentistry requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.
Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed May 8, 2026
Illinois has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 48-hour total.
These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.
Dentists who hold an Illinois Controlled Substances Registration
“Every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices”
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Illinois Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.
| Credit system | Notes |
|---|---|
ADA CERP | ADA and National Dental Association programs, their constituent/component associations, and ADA CERP are expressly listed approved CE sponsors.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(2)(A)[2] |
AGD PACE | Academy of General Dentistry programs, constituent/component associations, and approved sponsors are expressly listed approved CE sponsors.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(2)(E)[2] |
Board-approved credit | Illinois accepts verifiable attendance at approved CE courses relevant to treatment and care of patients, including the enumerated sponsor categories in 68 IAC 1220.440(b)(2).Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(2)[2] |
Correspondence / individual study max 24 hrs | Correspondence, audio, video, or other individual-study CE from an approved sponsor is capped at 50% of the 48-hour dentist requirement, or 24 hours per prerenewal period.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(3)[2] |
Teaching CE max 24 hrs | Teaching approved CE is capped at 50% of the 48-hour dentist requirement, or 24 hours per prerenewal period, and credit applies only to the first presentation.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(6)[2] |
Volunteer community oral health education max 2 hrs | Volunteer community oral health education presentations are capped at 2 hours per prerenewal period.Source68 Ill. Admin. Code § 1220.440(b)(7)[2] |
Records must be retained for at least 5 years following the renewal period.
First-renewal CE exemption — no CE required for the first renewal following original issuance of an Illinois dental or dental hygienist license.
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your a license expiration sep30 every 3 years cycle renewal.
Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.
“Every prescriber who is licensed to prescribe controlled substances shall, during the pre-renewal period, complete one hour of continuing education on safe opioid prescribing practices”720 ILCS 570/315.5 · Effective 2025-01-01