DENTAL THIRD-PARTY FINANCING

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist shall provide the patient with a written treatment plan that includes a description of each anticipated service to be provided and a good faith estimate of expected charges before arranging for, offering, brokering, or establishing open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides a form that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist must provide before arranging for, offering, brokering, or establishing open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not complete any portion of an application for open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not arrange for, offer, broker, or establish open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party that contains a deferred interest provision. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist may not arrange for, offer, broker, or establish open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party if (i) the treatment has yet to be rendered or costs associated with the treatment have yet to be incurred; (ii) the dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist has not provided the patient with a treatment plan, and informed the patient in writing about which costs associated with the treatment are being charged in advance; and (iii) that dentist's office arranged for, offered, brokered, or established the open-end credit, line of credit, or loan extended by a third party. Provides that a dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist shall, within 15 days business days of a patient's request or within 15 business days of the dentist, employee of a dentist, or agent of a dentist becoming aware of treatment that has not been rendered or costs that have not been incurred, whichever occurs first, refund to the lender any payment received through open-end credit, a line of credit, or a loan extended by a third party that is arranged for, offered, brokered, or established in that dentist's office. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules to implement these provisions. Effective January 1, 2025.