How to Become a Dental Assistant in Missouri

Who can apply

• Missouri does not license basic dental assistants. A Missouri dentist may delegate, under direct supervision, any task that is not the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene and not an expanded function.
• Assistants may never diagnose or read x-rays, cut tooth structure, do surgery, inject or prescribe drugs, scale teeth, or do the final bending of archwire.
• To monitor nitrous oxide you need a Board-approved course and a passing competency test (or equivalent certification from another state).
• To do expanded functions (such as placing fillings or orthodontic brackets) you need a Board-issued Expanded Functions Permit and current hands-on BLS for the Healthcare Provider.

Step by step

1. Get hired by a Missouri-licensed dentist; basic assisting duties need no license or permit.
2. For expanded functions, either earn DANB's Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential or pass the Missouri Dental Assisting Skills (MDAS) exam, formerly the Missouri Test of Basic Dental Assisting Skills.
3. Complete a Board-approved expanded functions course in the category you want. DANB CDAs may instead show graduation from a CODA-accredited program that included competency testing in that category; MDAS takers must take the Board-approved course.
4. Get current BLS for the Healthcare Provider with in-person manikin testing (online-only courses are not accepted).
5. Mail the paper application to the Missouri Dental Board, signed before a notary (form 375-0882 for expanded functions; form 375-0140 for nitrous monitoring, with a check or money order and your nitrous course certificate), with proof of competence and the $10 fee for each permit, within one year of submitting the application.
6. Display your permit where you work, and renew every five years with 16 hours of CE.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No training is required for basic assisting. Expanded functions permits require a Board-approved expanded functions training course (or a CODA-accredited program with competency testing in that category). Board-approved course providers must use Board-approved curriculum, have at least one dentist on the faculty and keep a ratio of no more than 10 students per faculty member. Monitoring nitrous oxide requires a Board-approved course and competency test.

Exam: No exam is required for basic assisting. For an expanded functions permit without DANB CDA certification, you must pass the Missouri Dental Assisting Skills (MDAS) exam, which DANB administers: 130 questions in 100 minutes, with a 60-day testing window. It covers basic knowledge such as terminology, asepsis, disinfection and sterilization.

What it costs in Missouri

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

Keeping your credential

Renewal: Expanded functions permits renew every five years. You need 16 hours of CE from Board-approved sponsors during the five years (only 4 hours if the permit was issued 12 months or less before it expires), all related to patient treatment, health and safety, plus current hands-on BLS. Keep CE records for five years after the permit period. An expired permit can be renewed within one year; after that it is void.

Good to know in Missouri

Expanded function categories: Permits are issued in five categories: Restorative I, Restorative II, Removable Prosthodontics, Fixed Prosthodontics and Orthodontics. Each category is a separate permit with its own fee.

Direct supervision: Delegated and expanded functions must be done under direct supervision: the dentist diagnoses and authorizes the procedure, stays in the office while you work, and checks your work before the patient leaves.

Display your permit: Your expanded functions permit must be displayed in plain view in any facility where you do expanded functions before the dentist delegates them to you.

One-year application window: All requirements for an expanded functions permit must be completed within one year of the date you submit the application form.

Sources

• 20 CSR 2110-2.120 - Dental Assistants (Cornell LII)
• 20 CSR 2110-2.170 - Fees (Cornell LII)
• DANB - Missouri Dental Assisting Skills (MDAS) exam
• Missouri Dental Board - Application for Expanded Functions Permits (form 375-0882)
• Missouri Dental Board - Application for Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Permit (form 375-0140)