How to Become a Dental Assistant in Virginia

Who can apply

• Virginia has two levels. A Dental Assistant I is unlicensed and works under the direction of a dentist or dental hygienist. No Board registration is needed.
• A Dental Assistant II is registered by the Board and may do certain restorative and prosthetic expanded duties.
• To enter a Dental Assistant II expanded function program you must hold a current DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential or an active dental hygienist license (18VAC60-30-120 A). You must then finish the program at a CODA-accredited school, with a written exam and a clinical competency exam.
• No Dental Assistant I or II may place or expose dental radiographs without a radiation credential (18VAC60-30-80).

Step by step

1. Start work as a Dental Assistant I under a dentist. No registration is needed.
2. Before taking x-rays, finish one of the approved radiation options: a radiation safety course and exam at a CODA-accredited school, ARRT certification, or DANB's Radiation Health and Safety review course and exam.
3. Post your radiation certificate where patients can see it.
4. To become a Dental Assistant II, earn DANB CDA certification.
5. Finish an expanded function dental assisting program at a CODA-accredited school, including its written and clinical competency exams.
6. Mail the Dental Assistant II application, the $100 fee (check or money order), Form A, and official transcripts to the Board.
7. Renew the Dental Assistant II registration every year in your birth month.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No training is required for Dental Assistant I basic duties. Radiographs need a CODA-accredited radiation safety course and exam, ARRT certification, or DANB's RHS review course and exam. Dental Assistant II needs a CODA-accredited expanded function program. Lab minimums on manikins: 15 hours of amalgam restorations, 40 hours of composite restorations and 10 hours of final impressions. Clinical minimums on live patients: 30 hours of amalgam, 60 hours of composite and 30 hours of final impressions (18VAC60-30-120).

Exam: No exam is needed for Dental Assistant I. For x-rays, one option is passing DANB's Radiation Health and Safety exam or a CODA-accredited school's radiation safety exam. Dental Assistant II applicants by education must pass the program's written exam after the didactic coursework and a clinical competency exam, and must hold DANB CDA.

What it costs in Virginia

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: Dental Assistant II registration renews every year in your birth month ($50 active, $25 inactive; $20 late fee if active). You must keep current DANB CDA (or other recognized) certification and a current hands-on basic CPR course. A registration lapsed more than one year needs a reinstatement application and fee ($125 if expired).

Good to know in Virginia

Registration by endorsement: If you hold a dental assistant II-type credential in another state, you can apply by endorsement. If your training was not substantially equivalent, a supervising dentist can verify (Form B) that you did the restorative and prosthetic duties for at least 24 of the past 48 months.

Application time limit: An incomplete application stays active for one year from receipt. After that you must reapply. The $100 fee is good for one year and is non-refundable.

Other licenses: Dental Assistant II applicants must have every state where they hold or held a dental assistant II or other health care credential send a verification (Form C). Verifications cannot be more than 6 months old.

Sources

• Virginia Board of Dentistry - Dental Assistant II application wizard
• Virginia Board of Dentistry - Application for Registration of Dental Assistant II (revised June 2023)
• 18VAC60-30 - Regulations Governing the Practice of Dental Assistants (full chapter)
• 18VAC60-30-80 - Radiation certification