Become a Dental Assistant in California - CA

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 22 2010

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With nearly 47,000 dental assistants working in the state, it is no surprise that California is ranked as the state with the highest concentration of workers in this profession. Dental assisting is an unlicensed profession in the state of California. However, to become a Registered Dental Assistant in California, licensure must be obtained. The following are steps to become a registered dental assistant in California:

Graduate from an approved California dental assisting training program or have had 12 months of fulltime work experience as a dental assistant.

Take a board-approved course in the Dental Practice Act.
Take an infection control course, which is typically 8 hours in length.
Submit an application for the California State Board Exam for dental assistants along with the $80 application fee. You will receive a letter notifying you whether you qualify to take the written board exam. The letter will provide information on how to schedule this exam as well as specifics on the exam contents.
Have an up-to-date CPR card.
Must be fingerprinted prior to taking the state board exams.
Take the California state board exam for dental assistants. The written exam is three hours in duration and consists of multiple-choice questions and is offered at a variety of places throughout the state of California. The required practical exam takes five hours and is offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Locations for the practical exam are in both Northern and Southern California and those taking the exam will be assigned a morning, mid-day, or afternoon session.