How to Become a Dental Assistant in New York

Checked against New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Dentistry) · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: 3 years
State fee: $103 for licensure and first registration (NYSED fee page); the statute lists $45 for initial certification and $50 per three-year registration. Limited permit: $40.
Regulated by: New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Dentistry)

Take the free dental assistant practice test →

Who can apply

Only a person certified by the State Education Department (or exempt) may practice registered dental assisting, and only certified people may use the title "Registered Dental Assistant" (Education Law 6608-A).
You must be at least 18 years old.
You need a high school diploma or GED.
You must be of good moral character as determined by the department.

Step by step

Finish high school or a GED.
Complete a New York registered, licensure-qualifying dental assisting program (or an equivalent the department accepts).
Submit the Application for Licensure (Form 1) with the licensure and first registration fee to the Office of the Professions.
Have your school send the Certification of Professional Education (Form 2).
Optional: apply for a limited permit (Form 5, plus Form 5CS Certification of Supervisor from your supervising dentist) so you can work under a dentist's direct personal supervision while you finish testing.
Pass the DANB exams for your pathway (CDA exam, or NYPDA plus RHS and ICE).
The department licenses you once both your education and your exams are approved.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Either (A) a one-year program of at least 24 semester hours (or equivalent) covering biomedical sciences, dental assisting content such as radiography techniques and safety, and clinical work such as placing and removing temporary restorations, with at least 200 hours of clinical experience; or (B) an alternate course of study acceptable to the department, given by a degree-granting institution or a BOCES program, that includes at least 1,000 hours of relevant work experience. New York keeps an Inventory of Registered Programs of licensure-qualifying programs.

Exam: New York uses DANB exams. Pathway I: if you meet DANB's eligibility rules, pass all three parts of the DANB CDA exam: Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE) and General Chairside (GC). A CDA passed between June 1, 1985 and June 1, 1993 also needs the current ICE; one passed before June 1, 1985 also needs the current RHS and ICE. Pathway III: graduates of a New York registered program who cannot take the CDA (non-CODA program and under two years of experience) pass DANB's New York three-part exam: NYPDA, RHS and ICE. Register and schedule with DANB.

Practice for the dental assistant exam free — radiation safety, infection control, chairside skills and dental materials →

What it costs in New York

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

Licensure and first registration ($103 per NYSED fee page; statute lists $45 certification + $50 registration)$
Limited permit (optional)$40
DANB exams (CDA, or NYPDA + RHS + ICE)$
Dental assisting program tuition$
Three-year registration renewal$58

Estimated total in New York$58Plus 3 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

DANB exam fees, paid to DANB.
Dental assisting program tuition.
Limited permit: $40, nonrefundable; $40 again to renew it for a second year.

Pay in New York

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

Keeping your credential

Renewal: The license itself is valid for life unless revoked, annulled or suspended; only the registration is renewed, every three years. NYSED's fee chart lists $58 for each re-registration (the statute's $50 plus the 15% registration surcharge). If your registration has lapsed more than 4 months, file a Delayed Registration Application. Article 133 sets mandatory continuing education for dentists and dental hygienists but none for registered dental assistants.

Good to know in New York

What an RDA may do: Under the direct personal supervision of a licensed dentist (the dentist stays in the office and checks the work before the patient leaves): patient education, preliminary histories and vital signs, rubber dams, prefitting provisional crowns and orthodontic bands, matrix bands, impressions for study casts, temporary restorations, topical fluoride varnish, suture removal, and taking x-rays as allowed by Public Health Law 3515(4)(c).

What an RDA may not do: Diagnose, perform surgery, perform irreversible procedures, or alter hard or soft tissue. The department has ruled that tooth bleaching is irreversible, so RDAs may not do it.

Limited permit: Valid for one year under a dentist's direct personal supervision and renewable once for one more year. It is issued only after your education is approved. If your employer or supervising dentist changes, file a new Form 5 (no extra fee).

Shielding still required: Education Law 6611(7) still requires protective shielding for dental x-rays, and the department advises everyone taking dental x-rays to follow it.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Dentistry) before you apply.