How to Become a Dental Assistant in Mississippi

Checked against Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Not required
Training: Not required
Term: 2 years
State fee: $60 Radiology Permit application fee, plus the permit renewal (activation) fee: $60 per two-year renewal (the Board fee schedule lists $30 a year).
Regulated by: Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners

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Who can apply

Mississippi does not license dental assistants. A dentist can hire you to do the duties the Board's rules let dentists delegate, without a license.
You must hold a Mississippi Radiology Permit before you expose any x-rays. The Board says there are no exceptions.
To qualify for the permit you need one of: graduation from a CODA-accredited dental assisting or dental hygiene program, current DANB certification, or a Board-approved radiology seminar completed no more than 90 days before you apply.
Dental assistants must work under the direct supervision of a licensed Mississippi dentist at all times.

Step by step

Get hired by a licensed Mississippi dentist. You can start basic assisting duties without a license.
If you will take x-rays, qualify for a Radiology Permit through a CODA-accredited dental assisting or hygiene program, current DANB certification, or a Board-approved radiology seminar (at least 8 hours with a written exam).
Create an account in the Board's online Licensure Gateway and file the Radiology Permit application, within 90 days of finishing the seminar if you use that route.
Pay the $60 application fee and the first biennial renewal fee with the application, and upload your proof (transcript, DANB certification or seminar certificate). The Board verifies it and runs a background check.
Renew the permit every two years by October 31, uploading a current CPR certificate.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No training is required for basic dental assisting. To take x-rays you need a Radiology Permit. Seminar applicants must complete a Board-approved radiology seminar with at least 8 hours of instruction (classroom and clinical), covering traditional and digital x-ray equipment, an evaluation of your ability to take a full-mouth series, and a written exam at the end. The Board lists approved seminars on its website. Graduates of CODA-accredited dental assisting or hygiene programs and current DANB certificants do not need the seminar.

Exam: There is no state exam for basic dental assisting. The Board-approved radiology seminar ends with a written exam, and you must apply for the permit within 90 days of passing it or retake the seminar. The Board fee schedule lists $25 for radiology examinations given in the Board's office.

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

What it costs in Mississippi

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

Radiology Permit application fee$60
Radiology Permit renewal/activation, per two-year cycle (fee schedule lists $30 a year)$60
Board-approved radiology seminar (if not a CODA graduate or DANB certificant)(optional)$

Estimated total in Mississippi$120

Cost details from the state

Board-approved radiology seminar tuition (set by the seminar provider).
Late renewal penalties: $20 for November 1-30 and $40 for December 1-31, plus the renewal fee.

Pay in Mississippi

Before you compare job offers, see what a paycheck takes home in Mississippi after taxes.

How long it takes

Once all required items are received, the Board says to expect 3-5 working days to process and approve an application.

Keeping your credential

Renewal: Radiology permits renew every two years through the Board's online Licensure Gateway; the fee is $60 and you must upload a current CPR certificate. Renewal opens 60 days before November 1 (for 2026-2028, September 1, 2026; deadline October 31, 2026). Permits not renewed by October 31 enter a two-month penalty period ($20 in November, $40 in December), and permits not renewed by December 31 are voided on January 1. A voided permit cannot be reinstated; you must apply again as a new applicant. A newly issued permit must be renewed (activated) right away: after 60 days a $20 penalty applies, another $20 after 90 days, and it is voided if not renewed within 120 days.

Good to know in Mississippi

No reciprocity: The Board says it does not issue radiology permits based on reciprocity, credentials or a dental assistant license from another state. You must meet one of the Regulation 25 routes.

Students: Students in CODA-accredited dental, hygiene or dental assisting programs may take x-rays as part of their program without a permit once they finish the program's radiology coursework (the Board's FAQ says the program head must certify this to the Board). After leaving the program they must apply for a permit.

Duties assistants may not do: Dental assistants may not scale or remove calculus, use ultrasonic instruments, carve and pack amalgams, place subgingival medicated cords, or take impressions used to make restorations or appliances. They may place sealants, do tooth whitening, apply topical anesthetics and place matrix bands under direct supervision.

Dentists can be disciplined: A dentist who lets an assistant expose x-rays without a radiology permit can be disciplined by the Board.

Out-of-state licenses: The Board's website states that Mississippi recognizes occupational licenses from other states under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act, although its FAQ says radiology permits are not issued by reciprocity. Ask the Board whether your out-of-state credential qualifies.

Sources

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