Dental assistant certification is determined by the statutes and regulations of each of the 50 states.
Each state establishes its own standards and requirements to obtain certification as a dental assistant. Before an assistant is able to commence working with patients, it is crucial that he or she access the essential information pertaining to the certification process and make certain that he or she complies with all necessary requirements.
State Certification Agencies
Determining what a particular state’s specific certification requirements are need not be a challenging task. Dental assistants typically obtain certification from one of two different types of agencies.
- First, oftentimes a state certifies assistants through the same agency that oversees licenses maintained by dentists.
- Second, some states have omnibus licensing agencies that oversee the licensing of all types of professionals, including dental assistants.
Task Specific Certification
Some states do not specifically certify dental assistants per se. Rather, they certify an assistant as being qualified to perform certain tasks.
For example, some states require an assistant to obtain specific certification if he or she is to undertake the operation of dental x-ray equipment and or perform dental radiographic work.
In such cases, rather than specifically being certified as a dental assistant by a state agency, the individual obtains appropriate certification in what is known as radiography.
In point of fact, when it comes to state level dental assistance certification, most states take this task specific approach involving x-ray equipment and associated procedures. This task specific certifications are good for a specified period of time and subject to renewal.
State Dental Assistant Registries
Some states do not use the specific term “certification” when it comes to overseeing assistants working in those jurisdictions. Rather, these states maintain what are called dental assistant registries.
In order to be added to a registry, these states require assistants to complete certain types of specified training. For example, a course in HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention is an example of such a specific training program in advance of registration. Registrations are good for a set period of time and must be renewed.
State Dental Assistant Certification Examinations
47 states require assistants to take and pass an examination as part of the overall certification process, according to the Dental Assisting National Board, or NANB. 38 of those states utilized a common examination formulated by the NANB. The remaining states requiring this type of examination utilizes their own state specific test. To Visit NANB and find out more about your state click the link http://www.danb.org/
Certification by Organizations
Organizations exist in the United States that provide their own certification to assistants. A assistant must keep in mind that certification by one or another of these professional organizations does not satisfy the certification or registration requirements that may exist in a particular state.
Rather, these certifications are designed to demonstrate to potential employers that a particular assistant has met certain educational milestones.
These organizations, including the NANB, maintain resources for their members that assist in finding out what the dental assistant certification requirements are in a particular state.