How to Become a Dental Assistant in Louisiana

Checked against Louisiana State Board of Dentistry · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Not required
Training: Required
Term: 2 years
State fee: No fee for basic assistants. EDDA initial certificate confirmation: $100; reconfirmation: $25 every two years.
Regulated by: Louisiana State Board of Dentistry

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Who can apply

The Board does not license or regulate basic dental assistants. You must be employed by and work in the office of a licensed, practicing dentist, under the dentist's direct on-premises supervision (LAC 46:XXXIII.501).
To take dental x-rays you must complete a Board-approved course in x-ray function and safety within six months after you start working for a licensed dentist (R.S. 37:792). You are authorized to take x-rays only after you comply.
All dental x-ray work must be done under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist and on the premises of the dental office.
Expanded duties (such as coronal polishing, sealants, retraction cords and temporary restorations) require an Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA) certificate confirmation from the Board.

Step by step

Get hired by a licensed Louisiana dentist; you may do the basic duties listed in the Board's rules under direct on-premises supervision.
Within six months of starting work, complete a Board-approved course in dental x-ray function and safety. Your dentist certifies your status to the Board when renewing their license.
For expanded duties, complete a Board-approved EDDA course (the application lists the Louisiana Dental Association, Southern University at Shreveport, University of Louisiana at Monroe and LSU School of Dentistry).
Get BLS certification from an approved in-person course (fully online CPR is not accepted).
Mail the EDDA application with proof of the EDDA course, the radiology course and current CPR, plus the $100 fee (check or money order), to the Board.
Display your EDDA certificate where patients can see it, and reconfirm it every two years by December 31.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Any dental assistant who takes x-rays must complete a Board-approved course in x-ray function and safety within six months of starting employment with a licensed dentist. The EDDA certificate requires a Board-approved EDDA course with at least 30 hours of instruction covering jurisprudence, infection control, emergencies, coronal polishing (lab on typodonts and partners), retraction cords, cavity liners, temporary crowns and restorations, nitrous oxide monitoring lecture, and pit and fissure sealants, plus clinical and written exams. Graduates of CODA-accredited dental assisting programs must show training in all EDDA functions or complete remediation or a full Board-approved EDDA program.

Exam: There is no state exam. Board-approved EDDA courses include clinical and written exams.

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

What it costs in Louisiana

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

Board-approved x-ray function and safety course$
EDDA certificate confirmation (optional, for expanded duties)$100
EDDA reconfirmation every two years(optional)$25

Estimated total in Louisiana$0Plus 1 item with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Board-approved x-ray function and safety course tuition (set by the provider).
EDDA course tuition (set by the provider).
BLS course (American Red Cross Professional Rescue, AHA Healthcare Provider, ASHI BLS Pro or Board-approved equivalent).

Keeping your credential

Renewal: There is no renewal for basic assistants. EDDA certificates are reconfirmed every two years and expire December 31 of the renewal period; the reconfirmation fee is $25. If you do not pay by December 31, the certificate becomes inactive until you pay the reconfirmation fee.

Good to know in Louisiana

Basic duties: Under direct on-premises supervision a dental assistant may, among other duties, take and develop x-rays and intraoral photos, take vital signs, apply topical anesthetic and fluoride (after a prophylaxis by a dentist or hygienist), place and remove rubber dams, take preliminary impressions, fabricate interim crowns and remove sutures.

Never delegated: Even EDDAs may not remove calculus, root plane, use air polishing, diagnose, prescribe, take final impressions, place final restorations, or give local anesthetic or any sedative or general anesthetic. Administering nitrous oxide can lead to severe sanctions for practicing dentistry without a license.

Long-time assistants: Assistants employed by a dentist on the effective date of R.S. 37:792 (September 1, 1984) and for at least a year before are deemed authorized to take x-rays, but must still take a radiology course to become an EDDA.

Rule change effective October 20, 2026: The Board is amending LAC 46:XXXIII.502 so EDDAs may perform certain non-invasive, non-intraoral, reversible procedures that do not penetrate skin or mucosa, under a dentist's direct supervision, if both the assistant and dentist have adequate formal training. The Board lists the change as effective October 20, 2026.

Assistants working before July 30, 1992: An assistant who worked for a licensed dentist before July 30, 1992 may keep applying cavity liners (not pulp capping), placing and removing matrices, periodontal dressings and retraction cords without EDDA status, under the dentist's direct on-premises supervision (LAC 46:XXXIII.501.C).

Sources

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