Dental Assistant Exam
Information

The certification requirements for Arizona are listed below and include X-ray Certification and Coronal Polish Certificate to perform those specific duties in the state of Arizona.  If you are interested in enrolling in a Dental Assisting Program in Arizona and plan to  move out of the state of Arizona, please discuss this with Altrain Assisting Academy during your informational tour.  Every state has different requirements on what it means to be a Dental Assistant, what duties they are allowed to perform and what certifications are required to be obtained. More information on state  requirements can be obtained on the Dental Assisting National Board’s (DANB) website here: https://www.danb.org/state-requirements.

Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) Exam Details

Altrain Assisting Academy assists students through the entire process of obtaining their x-ray license. We teach students how to properly take, develop and mount full mouth x-rays, both on film and digitally through a computer. This training will take place in the Radiology portion of the program. We thoroughly prepare our students for the written exam with 24 hours of lecture, 24 hours of clinical training, a separate radiology textbook that is recommended by the Dental Assisting National Board, numerous handouts, study guides, and preparation for all 1200 possible exam questions. We submit the student’s application and include the exam fees in the tuition. Altrain Assisting Academy students have a 90% pass rate on this exam.

2023 Fees – $270.00
80 Questions
60 Minute Time Limit

All students past and present are welcome to join existing classes to hear the lecture again prior to taking the exam and are able to schedule one on one sessions with an instructor to quiz on exam questions a no charge.

Radiography Requirements

A dental assistant must hold a current Arizona Board-approved certificate in radiology. To obtain a certificate, one must:

1a. Pass the national DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam, and

1b. Receive the Arizona Radiologic Proficiency Certificate, issued by DANB, OR

2a. Be currently certified in another U.S. jurisdiction that requires successful completion of a written and clinical dental radiography exam, and

2b. Apply to the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners (ASBDE) for Dental Assistant Radiography Certification by Credential and receive the Arizona Radiologic Proficiency Certificate, issued by the ASBDE.

You may also obtain more knowledge on the Dental Assisting National Boards website.

Arizona Coronal Polish Exam Details

Altrain Assisting Academy holds our students’ hands through this entire process of obtaining their coronal polish license. We teach them how to properly perform coronal polishes. This exam has two parts consisting of a clinical and a written portion. Students will need to actually clean the teeth of 2 adults and 2 children prior to submitting their applications. This will take place in the Chairside portion of the training. We also prepare them for the written exam that consists of 100 multiple choice questions with a 3-hour lecture, and provide textbooks, numerous handouts, and study guides. We submit their application and include the exam fees in the tuition. We have a 95% pass rate on this exam.

2023 Fees – $295.00
80 Questions
60 Minute Time Limit

All students past and present are welcome to join existing classes to hear the lecture again prior to taking their exam. They are also able to schedule one on one sessions with an instructor to quiz them on exam questions a no charge.

Coronal Polishing Definition: The Arizona Dental Practice Act states: “A dental assistant may polish the natural and restored surfaces of the teeth under the general supervision of a dentist licensed pursuant to this chapter if the assistant has passed an examination approved by the Board” (Section 32-1291B). The ASBDE further defines ‘polish’: “‘Polish’ means for the purpose of A.R.S. Section 32- 1291(B) only, a procedure limited to the removal of plaque and extrinsic stain from the exposed natural and restored tooth surfaces that utilizes an appropriate rotary instrument with a rubber cup or brush and polishing agent. A licensee or dental assistant shall not represent that this procedure alone constitutes oral prophylaxis.”

To perform coronal polishing procedures in the state of Arizona under the general supervision of a licensed dentist, a dental assistant must hold an Arizona Coronal Polishing Certificate. To qualify, one must:

1. Pass DANB’s Coronal Polish (CP) exam (see current CPFDA exam packet on www.danb.org), AND

2. Submit Arizona Coronal Polish Certificate application (p. 4) and Arizona Coronal Polishing Clinical Skills Affidavit (p. 5) completed by a licensed dentist or coronal polishing educator/course instructor to DANB, AND

3. Receive the Arizona Coronal Polishing Certificate from DANB.

You may also obtain more knowledge on the Dental Assisting National Boards website.

Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Exam Details

The state of Arizona does not recognize the designation of a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). 
 
To earn CDA certification, you must pass the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE) and General Chairside Assisting (GC) exams within a five-year period. The exams may be taken together or separately. There are no eligibility requirements to take the RHS and ICE exams.  Altrain Assisting Academy thoroughly prepares students to take both the RHS and ICE exams and includes exam fees for the RHS exam in the tuition. If you wish to take the RHS and ICE exam together, please discuss upon enrollment as DANB offers a price reduction if the exams are taken together. 
 
In order to meet the requirements for the General Chairside Assisting (GC) Exam you must meet the requirements of one of the three eligibility pathways. All GC pathways require current DANB-accepted, hands-on CPR, BLS or ACLS which is included in Altrain Assisting Academy curriculum and tuition costs.  After 3,500 hours of Dental Assisting work experience, a completed Work Experience Statement (WES), AND with proof of a diploma, GED certificate or original/official transcript mailed in a sealed envelope from the school from an institution recognized in the U.S. education system an Altrain Assisting Academy student will qualify to sit for the GC Exam under Pathway II listed below.  More information regarding the CDA exam can be found here: https://www.danb.org/exams/exam/cda-exam
 

PATHWAY II

Minimum 3,500 hours dental assisting work experience accrued over a period of at least two years to a maximum of four years; must be verified by a licensed dentist.
 
Required Documentation
Completed Employer Work Experience Statement (WES), signed by a licensed dentist. Only the Work Experience Statement form is acceptable documentation. Letters from employers or pay stubs showing hours worked are not acceptable.
 
AND
 
High school graduation or equivalent:
• Copy of diploma, GED certificate or original/official transcript mailed in a sealed envelope from the school from an institution recognized in the U.S. education system OR
• Proof of college or postsecondary coursework at an institution accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency
 
If high school is outside U.S. and Canada:
• Copy of high school or postsecondary diploma/transcript with graduation date
• Copy of document translated into English
• Original/official equivalency report in a sealed envelope from the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. DANB will return the original