Take Advantage of DANB's 2010 Exam Prices

In January, the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) will publish the 2011 exam application packets for DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam and DANB’s Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) exam. DANB’s CDA exam application packet includes applications for each of the individual exams that comprise the CDA: General Chairside Assisting (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE), and an application for the combined RHS/ICE exam. In addition to the COA exam application, DANB’s COA exam application packet includes applications for the Orthodontic Assisting (OA) and ICE component exams.

One of the changes exam candidates may notice in the 2011 application packets is that DANB exam fees will be moderately higher beginning Jan. 1, 2011. DANB’s Board of Directors approved these moderate increases at the August 2009 Annual Meeting. DANB has not raised exam fees since 2006; therefore, these increases were approved to keep up with the always-increasing cost of doing business.

As of Jan. 1, 2011, DANB exam fees will be:

Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) — $375
Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) — $375
General Chairside Assisting (GC) — $200
Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) — $175
Infection Control (ICE) — $175
Combination RHS/ICE — $250
Orthodontic Assisting (OA) — $250

However, DANB will continue to accept applications from the 2010 CDA and COA application packets with the 2010 exam fees through March 31, 2011. So, if you were planning to take a DANB exam, now is a great time to submit that application – before fees increase.

DANB’s CDA exam is recognized or required in 37 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Air Force, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. To earn DANB CDA Certification, a candidate must pass the full CDA exam or pass all three component exams (GC, RHS, and ICE) separately within a five-year period. There are no requirements to take the RHS or ICE exams, but candidates must meet eligibility requirements to take the full CDA exam or the GC component. The eligibility pathways are outlined in the exam application packets, which can be downloaded at www.danb.org.

To earn DANB COA Certification, a candidate must pass the full COA exam or pass the two component exams (OA and ICE) separately within a five-year period. There are eligibility requirements to take the full COA exam or the OA component.

DANB’s Review Materials
Once a candidate determines which DANB exam to apply for, the next step is to begin to prepare. The content of DANB’s exams does not correspond to any particular textbook or classroom curriculum; rather, it is based on an underlying job analysis outlining the duties that dental assistants perform in actual practice. There is no universal study plan that meets all candidates’ needs because each person has a unique combination of education, training, work experience and test-taking experience. However, DANB offers several resources to assist exam candidates in the preparation process. All of the materials listed below can be found on DANB’s website at www.danb.org/Exams/examreferences.asp and www.danb.org/learning.

DANB’s Exam Blueprints.
Reviewing DANB’s exam blueprints is a good place to begin when creating a study plan. DANB’s exam blueprints are based on the job analysis underlying each DANB national exam. The exam blueprint is a list of every topic that might be covered on the exam, and is based on the results of periodic content validation studies that DANB conducts every approximately 5 to 7 years, to ensure that DANB exam content reflects the practice of dental assisting, on a national basis. Some candidates may find it helpful to thoroughly review every topic listed on DANB’s exam blueprints, while others may prefer to concentrate on the areas where their knowledge is weaker and review more familiar areas later. Exam blueprints can be downloaded from DANB’s website at www.danb.org/Exams/examreferences.asp

DANB’s Exam Reference Materials List
DANB publishes the list of all the textbooks and reference materials that DANB Exam Committees use when constructing DANB exams. Making the lists available is intended to be helpful to the candidate in preparing for the exams. Candidates may obtain the reference materials listed by contacting the publisher directly or through various bookstores; some are available online. The list of exam reference materials can be found in the exam application packet or on DANB’s website at www.danb.org/Exams/examreferences.asp.

Candidates should prepare for DANB exams using as many different preparatory sources as possible. The exam reference materials list does not include all textbooks and materials that are available for the study of dental assisting; they are simply the resources that the Exam Committee subject matter experts have determined to provide the latest information covering the knowledge needed to match or surpass a determined level of competency in the practice of dental assisting. DANB’s exam reference materials list is not intended to be an endorsement for any of the publications listed. It is not necessary to use any of these books in order to pass the exam; conversely, reading all of these books will not guarantee that a candidate will pass the exam.

DANB’s Online Review Courses
DANB offers two online review courses: DANB’s Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) Review Course and DANB’s Conventional Dental Radiography Review Course. These interactive, online courses can be one of the tools used to prepare for DANB’s RHS exam. Learn more at www.danb.org/learning.

DANB’s RHS Review Course covers important topics related to both conventional and digital dental radiation health and safety. The self-paced, interactive review course covers basic anatomical landmarks, radiation biology and safety issues, elements of radiographic exposure equipment, errors encountered in radiographic exposure, radiographic labeling, and infection control techniques. The course is intended for chairside assistants or dental assisting students with varying degrees of dental radiography knowledge. The course seat time is about 12 hours, and successful completion of the course is worth 12 DANB Continuing Dental Education (CDE) credits.

DANB’s Conventional Dental Radiography Review Course covers conventional dental radiography, using film rather than digital images. This course is intended for chairside assistants or dental assisting students with varying degrees of dental radiography knowledge. Learners should have some background in dental radiography and possess at least a basic understanding of professional vocabulary related to dental radiography and general dental assisting duties. The seat time is about four hours, and successful completion of the course is worth four DANB CDE credits.

DANB’s Review Publications
DANB offers two print publications to help candidates prepare for DANB exams. The DANB Review is an exam preparation tool for DANB’s GC, RHS, ICE and OA exams. The DANB Review contains a series of sample questions for each exam, along with an answer key, explanations of each correct answer and references for additional reading.

DANB’s Glossary of Dental Assisting Terms is a comprehensive guide to applied practical and clinical dental terminology. This reference tool will help familiarize candidates with vocabulary they might encounter on the DANB exams as well as in the office/clinical setting.

Both publications can be ordered by downloading an order form from DANB’s website at www.danb.org.

Note: A number of third-party publishers offer “dental assisting exam preparation guides,” many of which have sample questions that claim to be similar to the questions found on DANB exams. DANB does not review or endorse any exam preparation materials published by third parties. Candidates who purchase review materials from third-party publishers do so at their own risk. Unless express written permission has been granted by DANB, no individual or entity is authorized to use the DANB logo. To report DANB trademark infringement, please inform DANB by contacting Katherine Landsberg at [email protected].