Become a Dental Assistant in Texas - TX

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 30 2010

The requirements for becoming a dental assistant vary by state. Some dental assistants learn their skills on the job because it is an unlicensed profession. Formal training is increasingly becoming the norm as employers expect a level of competency from job applicants. The following steps are the ones most commonly taken by aspiring dental assistants in Texas:

1. Graduate from an approved dental assisting program or complete on the job training.
2. Complete a current basic life support course (CPR) and a mandatory course of training as specified by the State Board of Dental Examiners (SBDE) or earn the national certification and complete the Texas SBDE jurisprudence assessment.
3. Apply for licensure or registration. Dental assistants do not need to be licensed in the state of Texas, however optional licensing is now available. Dental assistants who take x-rays in Texas must register with the SBDE. Dental assistants who do not take x-rays do not need to register with SBDE in Texas.