Post job

Best registered dental assistant certifications

The best certifications for a registered dental assistant are Dental Assistant (RDA), Certified Dental Assistant - Coronal Polish (CP), and Certified Dental Technician.

Registered dental assistant certifications demonstrate your competency as a registered dental assistant to employers. However, not all registered dental assistant certifications provide the same value.

Below is a list of the best registered dental assistant certifications. Obtaining a registered dental assistant certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.

7 best certifications for registered dental assistants

7 best registered dental assistant certifications

1. Dental Assistant (RDA)

A Dental Assistant is an integral member of the dental health team, competent via education, experience, and understanding of patient welfare. The Dental Assistant is qualified to provide support in administrative duties: chairside, laboratory, and radiological procedures, as defined by existing state laws. As an agent of the Dentist, the Dental Assistant strives to cultivate good will and confidence within the dental practice.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
Certifying organization
American Medical Technologists

2. Certified Dental Assistant - Coronal Polish (CP)

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)

3. Certified Dental Technician

Certification is the process of assessing a dental technician's knowledge and applied skill level necessary to perform the tasks required of a dental technician. The skill standard,based upon this knowledge and applied skill, is the level required to perform successfully and is the baseline for certification testing. Once the dental technician successfully passes the examination, they are then considered a Certified Dental Technician and issued the CDT designation.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
  • More than two years of work experience required? No
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)

4. Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)

Train to be a certified nurse assistant working with other health care professionals to provide quality care for elderly or sick individuals in nursing homes and hospitals and at home.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
  • More than two years of work experience required? No
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? 
Certifying website
Certified Nurse Assistant

5. Medical Assistant

The medical assistant job description varies depending on the employer's needs. A medical assistant is a multi-skilled professional and an asset to a physician.

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
  • More than two years of work experience required? No
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)
Certifying organization
American Society of Phlebotomy...

6. Certified Dental Assistant - Sealants (SE)

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)

7. Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)

Certification details
  • More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
  • More than two years of work experience required? Yes
  • Oral or written exam required? Yes
  • Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)
Certifying website
Certified Dental Assistant
Certifying organization
Dental Assisting National Board

What is the best certification for a registered dental assistant?

The best registered dental assistant certification is Dental Assistant (RDA). The Dental Assistant (RDA) is awarded by the American Medical Technologists. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.

Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this registered dental assistant certification:

  • To become a certified Dental Assistant (RDA), you need to pass the exam.
  • This certificate requires more than two years of work experience.
  • Renew certification every 3 year.

What are some of the most in-demand certifications for registered dental assistants?

The most in-demand registered dental assistant certification is Dental Assistant based on all active job postings. Having this registered dental assistant certification will give you access to more registered dental assistant jobs with higher salaries.

What certifications can impact a registered dental assistant career and salary?

The Dental Assistant certification will help you to secure a dental assistant position, which will increase your pay and career trajectory. A dental assistant's average salary is $38,832 whereas registered dental assistants make an average salary of $38,145.

Best certifications

The most common combination of registered dental assistant certifications include: Dental Assistant (RDA), Certified Dental Assistant - Coronal Polish (CP), and Certified Dental Technician.

Online courses for registered dental assistants to earn certifications

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Dental Medicine

coursera

The mouth is the window into human health. This course provides an overview of dental medicine to engage, educate, excite and assist you in improving the oral health of your patients and members of your community. We will review topics in dental medicine including scope of the field, what to expect in function, and some of the many ways that dysfunction may present for different patients. This will include discussions of mouth, jaw, and tooth anatomy, pathology, and treatment. We will talk...

2. Materials in Oral Health

coursera

The drive for development of new and novel oral biomaterials has never been more important with many people using oral biomaterials today and seeing their benefits in restoring and improving their oral health for a more enjoyable lifestyle. The unique properties of biomaterials such as titanium (Ti), zirconia (ZrO2) and various polymeric materials have made them materials of choice in oral health: dental implants, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and even regenerative medicine. Oral biomaterials...

3. Modern Dental Extractions - Fast, Painless, & Non-invasive

udemy
4.5
(329)

The goal is less trauma and less drama! This is an update that teaches superior methods for atraumatic extractions...

4. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

udemy
4.5
(2,583)

Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

5. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

coursera

This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

6. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

coursera

Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...

7. Becoming an Executive Personal Assistant

udemy
4.2
(282)

Learn how to be an effective personal assistant, and find out how to develop the skills for the role...

8. Become a Virtual Assistant

udemy
4.5
(1,223)

Live Free. Work Virtually. Virtual Assistant Training...

9. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes

coursera

COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...

10. Virtual Assistant Training, a Complete Guide: Work From Home

udemy
4.4
(358)

Rock Star Virtual Assistant Training: Create an online business + become a freelancing virtual professional in any field...

11. Complete Data Entry Skills Course - Learn Data Entry Skills

udemy
4.4
(399)

Learn Essential Data Entry Skills Now To Enhance Your Career -Word - Excel - Database - Data Entry Jobs...

12. Data Entry Course for Beginners

udemy
4.6
(5,470)

Learn from a Successful Data Entry Professional!...

13. Easily Register a Trademark (On Your Own)

udemy
4.8
(256)

Discover How to Search & Register a Trademark on Your Own • Protect Your Name & Brand • No Trademark Lawyer Necessary...

14. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch

udemy
4.7
(533)

A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...

15. Must-Have Tools for Virtual Assistants in 2023

udemy
4.8
(1,267)

Step by step tutorials for over 30 tools that will make your Virtual Assistant business and productivity skyrocket!...

16. Project Schedule: Monitor & Control Specialist (Accredited)

udemy
4.6
(515)

Schedule Management: Monitor & Control Schedule, Analyze Schedule, Solve Project Schedule Problems Earn CPDs & PDUs...

17. Advanced Planning Baseline Schedule with Primavera P6 &Excel

udemy
4.5
(438)

Practical Case Study with Step by Step instructions. Work Smart NOT Hard...

18. Virtual Assistant: Find, Hire, Train, and Manage

udemy
4.6
(507)

Work smarter, not harder: Learn how to win the war against Entrepreneurial Overwhelm with virtual assistants...

19. The Securities Trade Lifecycle: Front, Middle & Back-Office

udemy
4.5
(2,571)

Definitive Trade Lifecycle Guide Trade Execution Capture Enrichment Confirmation Settlement Reconciliation...

20. Must-Have Skills (Training) for Virtual Assistants in 2023

udemy
4.7
(4,510)

Get training for the most frequently requested services (+ free delegation e Book and TONS of templates and scripts)...

Browse healthcare support jobs