This article originally appeared in Dental Assisting & Office Manager Digest. Subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter here.
Keeping up with dental assisting requirements can be challenging because they vary from state to state. But the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) makes it simple to navigate these requirements with its updated state publications. These must-have resources can help dental assistants easily stay up to date and informed about the latest state requirements and regulations, as well as other important information about the profession.
DANB’s 2017 State Career Ladder Templates for Dental Assistants features easy-to-use charts with information on each state’s requirements and career opportunities for dental assistants. Each state chart highlights job designations; education, exam and training requirements; allowable functions; non-delegable functions; and levels of supervision required in each state.
DANB’s 2017 State Fact Booklet contains current state requirements and excerpts from state dental practice acts that relate to dental assisting. The publication also includes dental board contact information, the number of DANB certificants in each state, comparative salary statistics, and a list of dental assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. In addition, it has information about expanded functions, radiography requirements, and anesthesia and sedation regulations that affect dental assistants.
“It’s imperative that dental assistants and other dental professionals stay updated on the requirements that govern their profession,” says DANB Executive Director Cindy Durley, MEd., MBA. “DANB’s state publications make it easy for them to access the most up-to-date, accurate information.”
Much of the information in both of these publications is also available at DANB’s website. DANB’s Search-by-State Map features comprehensive information on each state’s requirements for dental assisting duties, job titles, and allowable and prohibited duties, as well as links to the state dental board websites. DANB’s website also has a state dental practice acts database, which has links to each state’s statutes, regulations, and administrative rules governing the practice of every member of the dental team.
While visitors to DANB’s website can access most of the information in the state publications for free, those who want print copies of the state publications can order them for a fee. To place an order for the publications, download the order form or call (800) 367-3262.
