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 would like their patie
...
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 would 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.
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