Certification Preparation for Dental Assisting

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Why get DANB certified? Why go through the hassle, the added time, and the pressure of taking a national board exam to prove your credentials? The answer is relatively simple. Dentists generally wo... uld like their patients to respect and trust them and possibly even recommend them to other potential patients. If that isn’t the case, those dentists will soon find their practices dwindling. In order to win patients’ trust and respect, it is not enough for only the dentist display a high degree of knowledge and professionalism; the entire dental staff should be held to high expectations as well. A dentist could seek and hire qualified dental assistants based on their word alone (“Sure, I’m qualified!”), but chances are, most dentists will require some documentation as proof that the candidate is, indeed, a qualified professional. To ensure a reputation of excellence for themselves and for their staff, many dentists may require the national certification for employment, even though it may not be a state requirement. Therefore, even if your state does not require taking a credentialing exam such as the DANB, obtaining and maintaining this national credential will speak volumes about your qualifications, professionalism, dedication, and sincerity in being a dental assistant. Frame your certificate and display it proudly where patients can see it! Showing that you are a highly qualified professional will instill patient confidence in your abilities. As you may already know, the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) is the foremost recognized certification and credentialing agency for dental assistants and is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (formerly NOCA). Certification by a nationally recognized leader in dental assisting qualifications has many benefits. DANBcertified assistants usually receive higher salaries than their noncredentialed colleagues, and DANB-certification is a requirement for dental assistants to provide expanded functions in many states. The two areas of certification that are open to eligible candidates are: ■ Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) ■ Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) Note: This book covers preparation for only the DANB CDA exam. Computerized Exam The DANB exam is only administered as a computerized exam. A written version is no longer available. The test is administered year-round at over 200 testing centers across the country. Applications may be turned in at any time, and candidates may schedule their exam online at any time after receiving their test admission notice. The exam must be taken during a 60-day eligibility window. For further information and test center locations, visit the DANB website (www.danb.org). The Exam Components The CDA exam consists of three component exams: General Chairside (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and Infection Control (ICE). General information about each of these exams—such as the allotted testing time, the total number of questions (items) in each component, and the percentage (%) of exam questions in each topic area—is provided here. [Show More]

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