State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes advanced a measure out of the Senate that would give dental assistants the ability to perform duties for which they have completed training requirements. Under this measure, if a dental assistant has completed training requirements for a certain type of service, they would be permitted to perform such services on patients. This would expand the functions that dental assistants are allowed to complete if they are trained and certified for them. The purpose of the measure is to update the licensure exam requirements to better reflect current testing, which would improve the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation’s ability to suspend a testing agency if its exam integrity or competency standards are compromised. Senate Bill 2846 passed the Senate Thursday.