These Illinois skill standards for dental hygienists are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for communication among education, business, industry, and labor. An introduction provides a sample format and occupational earnings and employment information. Each skill standard contains these components: performance area; coding that identifies the state, fiscal year in which the standard was endorsed, subcouncil abbreviation, cluster abbreviation, and standard number; conditions of performance; work to be performed; performance criteria; performance elements; and performance assessment criteria, including product and process. The 109 skill standards are categorized into these 17 areas: infection control (12 standards); patient/client preparation (8); oral cancer screening (2); impression procedures (2); periodontal assessment and examination (11); observation of teeth (5); indices and scoring methods (18); communication (5); application of caries preventive agents (5); instrument maintenance (8); instrumentation and dental and dental hygiene treatment (8); pain control (4); intrinsic and extrinsic stain removal (5); amalgam restoration finishing and polishing (2); intraoral appliance/restoration procedures (4); dental imaging (8); and dental hygiene process and professional standards (2). (YLB)