How to Become a Dental Assistant in Georgia

Checked against Georgia Board of Dentistry · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Not required
Training: Not required
Term: See state office
State fee: See state office
Regulated by: Georgia Board of Dentistry

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Who can apply

Georgia does not license dental assistants. A dental assistant is employed in a dental office and may do delegated duties only under the direct supervision of a Georgia-licensed dentist (Board Rule 150-9-.01).
To place and expose x-rays you must first complete the operator training required by Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-90-.04: at least six hours of instruction in radiation safety.
To do expanded duties you need a high school diploma or equivalent, current CPR, and an expanded duty certificate for each specific duty (Board Rule 150-9-.02).

Step by step

Get hired by a Georgia-licensed dentist. General duties such as impressions for study models, rubber dams, suture removal and topical anesthetic need no state credential.
Complete at least six hours of x-ray safety instruction. Training must start within 30 days of hire and be finished within 90 days; the office keeps the record for state inspection.
To qualify for expanded duty courses, hold DANB CDA certification, graduate (or be eligible to graduate) from a one-year accredited or Board-approved dental assisting program, or work chairside for a dentist for six continuous months within the past three years.
Take a Board-recognized expanded duty course (each at least four hours) from an accredited dental assisting program, hygiene school, dental school or approved professional association, and pass a competency exam given by a licensed dentist.
Give your employer a copy of each expanded duty certificate to keep in the office, and keep your CPR current. You may only do the duties listed on your certificates.

Training and exam

Training: No program is required for general duties. X-rays require at least six hours of instruction covering radiation protection, darkroom technique, patient protection and machine safety, begun within 30 days and completed within 90 days of employment. Each expanded duty requires a certificate course of at least four hours from an accredited dental assisting program, dental hygiene school, dental school, or Board-recognized professional association. Rubber cup polishing on children with primary teeth requires a Board-approved curriculum or at least eight hours of on-the-job training by a Georgia dentist.

Exam: No state exam. Each expanded duty course ends with a competency exam administered by a licensed dentist on behalf of the course sponsor.

No state exam for basic assistants here, but x-ray and DANB exams are common. Practice free →

What it costs in Georgia

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Expanded duty course tuition (per course)(optional)$
CPR course(optional)$

Estimated total in Georgia$0

Cost details from the state

Expanded duty course tuition, paid to the course sponsor.
CPR certification (required for expanded duty assistants).
X-ray safety instruction, if not provided by the employer.

Good to know in Georgia

Direct supervision: The dentist is in the office, personally diagnoses and authorizes the procedure, stays in the office while you work, and evaluates your work before the patient leaves.

Coronal polishing limits: A general dental assistant may polish enamel and restorations only with a slow-speed handpiece (up to 10,000 rpm), rubber cup and polishing agent, and only to prepare teeth for bleaching, cementation or bonding. It may not be presented as a prophylaxis and the patient may not be charged directly for it.

Rubber cup prophy for children: Under Board Rule 150-9-.01 (last amended effective February 20, 2024), a dental assistant may do a rubber cup prophy on a patient with primary teeth after completing a Board-approved curriculum or at least eight hours of on-the-job training by a Georgia dentist.

Expanded duties list: With the matching certificate, duties include applying sealants and fluoride, monitoring and adjusting nitrous oxide on the dentist's instructions, intraoral temporary crowns, placing liners and bases, packing retraction cord, rebonding orthodontic brackets, sizing stainless steel crowns on primary teeth, taking vital signs and digital scans for orthodontic appliances.

Banned technologies: General and expanded duty dental assistants may not use lasers, intraoral micro-etching or air polishing equipment.

Phlebotomy: A dental assistant may do phlebotomy and venipuncture only after Board-approved training under O.C.G.A. 43-11-23.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Georgia Board of Dentistry before you apply.