DANB's Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential is made of three component exams: General Chairside (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and Infection Control (ICE). RHS and ICE are open to anyone. The GC exam, and therefore the full CDA, requires meeting one of DANB's eligibility pathways: graduating from an accredited dental assisting program, or a combination of work experience and CPR certification. Check DANB's site for the current pathway details.
What the GC covers
It's the broadest of the three:
- Collecting and recording clinical data: vital signs, medical and dental histories, charting.
- Chairside dental procedures: operative, prosthodontic, endodontic, periodontic, surgical, and orthodontic assisting; instruments, materials, and sequence.
- Chairside dental materials: impression materials, cements, restorative materials, and how to manipulate them.
- Lab materials and procedures: pouring and trimming models, custom trays, provisionals.
- Patient education and oral health management.
- Prevention and management of emergencies: recognizing and responding under the dentist's direction.
- Office operations: records, scheduling basics, legal and ethical responsibilities.
Studying for it
The GC rewards breadth and sequence. Know what each procedure needs on the tray and in what order the steps happen. Practice questions that ask 'which instrument next' or 'what is the assistant's first action' are the most useful kind, because they test whether you can run a procedure in your head.