Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)

To become a CDA, applicants must pass all the three component exams, General Chairside (GC), Radiation Health & Safety (RHS) and Infection Control (ICE) within a five year period, or pass the CDA exam in its entirety.

• Collection and Recording of Clinical Data (10%)
  • Basic Oral and Dental Anatomy, Physiology and Development (including but not limited to blood vessels, bones, glands/lymphatics, muscles, nerves, oral cavity, and teeth)
  • Preliminary Physical Examination
  • Charting
  • Diagnostic Aids
  • Treatment Documentation
• Chairside Dental Procedures (45%)
  • Four-Handed Dentistry Techniques
  • Select and Prepare Armamentarium
  • Intraoral Procedures
  • Patient Management
• Chairside Dental and Laboratory Materials (13%)
  • Chairside Dental Materials (Preparation, Manipulation, Application): Impression, Restorative, Sedative/Palliative, and Other Dental Materials
  • Laboratory Materials and Procedures; material selection, manipulation, and storage
• Patient Education and Oral Health Management (10%)
  • Oral Health Information Provided to Patients
  • Pre- and Post-Treatment Instruction
  • Plaque Control Techniques
  • Nutrition
• Prevention and Management of Patient Emergencies (12%)
  • Oral Health Information
  • Pre-/Post-Treatment Instruction
  • Demonstrate an understanding of plaque control techniques, including but not limited to: appropriate toothbrush selection and brushing techniques, evaluate oral healthcare status and habits, evaluate response to home-care therapy, provide preventive oral healthcare information based on individual needs, select and use oral hygiene devices (e.g., brushes, floss, interdental aids, oral rinses, irrigating aids), and select and use plaque disclosing aids.
  • Nutrition
• Office Operations (10%)
  • Supply and Inventory Control
  • Maintenance of Equipment/Instruments
  • Patient Reception, Communication and Accounting
  • Legal Aspects of Dentistry

• Expose and Evaluate (26%)
  • Assessment and Preparation
  • Acquire
  • Evaluate
  • Patient Management
• Quality Assurance and Radiology Regulations (21%)
  • Quality Assurance
  • Radiology Regulations
• Radiation Safety for Patients and Operators (31%)
  • Identify current American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines for patient selection and limiting radiation exposure.
  • Apply the principles of radiation protection and hazards in the operation of radiographic equipment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of patient safety measures to provide protection from x-radiation.
  • Address patient radiation concerns (e.g., informed consent, patient refusal).
  • Identify operator safety measures to provide protection from x-radiation.
  • Describe techniques for monitoring individual x-radiation exposure.
• Infection Control (22%)
  • Standard Precautions for Equipment
  • Standard Precautions for Patients and Operators

• Standard Precautions and the Prevention of Disease Transmission (20%)
  • Recognize infectious diseases and their relationship to patient and occupational risk.
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to review a medical history to prevent adverse reactions during dental care (e.g., adverse reactions to latex or vinyl).
  • Demonstrate understanding of proper hand hygiene as performed before, during and after oral surgery and intraoral procedures.
  • Describe how to protect the patient and operator by using personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., masks, gloves, eyewear, gowns).
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to protect the patient and operator through the reduction of aerosol, droplets and spatter.
• Prevent Cross-Contamination During Procedures (34%)
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to maintain aseptic conditions to prevent cross-contamination for procedures and services.
• Instrument/Device Processing (26%)
  • Demonstrate understanding of processing reusable dental instruments and devices.
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to monitor and maintain processing equipment and sterilizers (e.g., ultrasonic cleaner, autoclave).
• Occupational Safety/Administrative Protocols (20%)
  • Demonstrate understanding of occupational safety standards and guidelines for personnel.
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to maintain and document programs/policies for infection control and safety.