Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Certification Requirements

To earn the Certified Dental Assistant credential, you need to meet one of three eligibility pathways set by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), hold a current hands-on CPR, BLS, or ACLS certification from a DANB-accepted provider, and pass a three-part exam covering General Chairside Assisting, Radiation Health and Safety, and Infection Control. The CDA is the only nationally recognized dental assisting certification, and its requirements are the same no matter which state you work in, though states layer their own rules on top.¹

Who Qualifies to Sit for the Exam

DANB offers three ways in. Every one of them requires that current CPR, BLS, or ACLS card before you apply, so secure it first.¹

Pathway I: Graduates of CODA-Accredited Programs

If you’ve graduated from a dental assisting or dental hygiene program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, you can apply immediately. No work experience is required. This is the route most new graduates use.¹

Pathway II: Work Experience

If you learned the job on the job, you qualify with a high school diploma or GED plus at least 3,500 hours of work experience as a dental assistant. The licensed dentist who supervised you must verify those hours in writing.¹

Pathway III: Former CDAs, Dental Students, and Foreign Graduates

Pathway III is the catch-all. You qualify if you previously held the CDA, if you’ve graduated from or are enrolled in a CODA-accredited DDS or DMD program, if you graduated from a dental degree program outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you’ve graduated from or are enrolled in an approved post-baccalaureate program affiliated with a U.S. or Canadian dental school on DANB’s accepted list.¹

The Exam: Components, Length, and Cost

The CDA exam is three component tests: General Chairside Assisting (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and Infection Control (ICE). Taken together, the full exam runs 245 multiple-choice questions over 195 minutes. Each component is scored on a 100–900 scale, and you need at least 400 to pass each one.¹²

Fees include a $75 nonrefundable application fee and scale with how many components you take at once:

Single component (GC, RHS, or ICE): $270
Two components together: $375
All three components (full CDA exam): $450

Retakes cost the same as the first attempt. There’s no discount if you fail a component and need to sit for it again.³

Applying and Scheduling

You apply through DANB’s website. The application asks for personal information, educational history, and the components you want to take. Supporting documents depend on your pathway: Pathway I applicants send official transcripts directly from their CODA-accredited program to DANB; Pathway II applicants submit the employer verification form signed by the supervising dentist; Pathway III applicants document their prior CDA status, dental school enrollment, or foreign degree. Everyone uploads proof of current CPR, BLS, or ACLS.¹

Check your paperwork carefully. Incomplete applications are the most common reason for delay, and the $75 application fee is nonrefundable whether or not you ever test.³

Once DANB approves you, you’ll get an email with a link to schedule through Pearson VUE, which runs the computerized testing centers. You have 60 days from the approval date to both schedule and sit the exam. Miss that window and you reapply and pay again, so book early. On test day, bring one valid government-issued photo ID, and follow any additional instructions in your scheduling confirmation.³

Keeping the Certification Active

The CDA renews annually. To keep it, you need to earn continuing dental education (CDE) credits, maintain current CPR or BLS, and pay the renewal fee. You can renew online through DANB’s portal up to two months before your expiration date.⁴

DANB audits certificants periodically to verify CDE and CPR status. The board doesn’t publish how often, so treat every cycle as if you’ll be picked. Keep your course certificates and CPR cards. If you’re audited, DANB will email you asking for documentation.⁵

If you let the certification lapse, DANB offers reinstatement, but the requirements depend on how long it’s been inactive. In some cases you may have to retake exams. Contact DANB directly to find out what applies to you.⁵

State Rules Still Apply

Earning the CDA doesn’t automatically authorize you to work as a dental assistant everywhere. DANB certifications are recognized or required in 39 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Air Force, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.⁶ Each state dental board sets its own rules about what a dental assistant can do, what credentials are needed, and what job titles apply. Some states charge separate registration or licensure fees on top of the DANB credential. If you plan to work in a new state, check that state’s dental board requirements before you move.

Expanded functions are the clearest example. Thirty-eight states have an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) level, and many of them recognize or require DANB certification for it. Expanded functions can include coronal polishing, applying sealants or fluoride, taking radiographs, and monitoring nitrous oxide.⁷

Conduct That Can Disqualify You

DANB reviews background information during the application and holds certificants to a Code of Professional Conduct. Several categories can lead to denial or revocation:⁸

A felony conviction or guilty plea within the past five years, or currently serving any felony sentence (including parole, probation, or home detention).
Suspension or revocation of a dental assisting license or other professional credential, or disciplinary action by a regulatory board.
Being investigated by or dismissed from a school or employer for cheating or other ethical violations.
Cheating, disruptive behavior during testing, unauthorized possession of exam materials, or false information on an application.

DANB can rescind exam results, ban you from future exams, or revoke an existing certification on these grounds. Anyone currently confined on criminal charges or serving a sentence must be fully released before applying, testing, or renewing.⁸

1
Dental Assisting National Board. Certified Dental Assistant
2
Dental Assisting National Board. Clearing Up 5 Common Misconceptions About DANB Exams
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Dental Assisting National Board. 2026 CDA Application Packet
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Dental Assisting National Board. Renew Certification
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Dental Assisting National Board. Maintain Certification
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Dental Assisting National Board. How to Get a Dental Assisting Job in a New State
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Dental Assisting National Board. 3 FAQs on Expanded Functions Dental Assistants
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Dental Assisting National Board. CPFDA Application Packet