The 'Certified Dental Assistant' Exam
- By James W Kelly
- Published September 23rd, 2008
- Education
- Unrated
One can get a wonderful opportunity to pursue a career in the field on dentistry by completing a Dental Assistant program.
Although most states don’t require one to have a certificate degree of this program, having a certificate of a Dental Assistant program may just give the required boost to your career in this field. It has also been observed that certified Dental Assistants get paid more than the uncertified ones.
The standards for the Certified Dental Assistant have been set by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. The CDA exam mainly comprises of three parts. The first part is the 'General Chairside', a written test that has 120 objective-type questions.
All the questions are primarily based on basic Dental Assistant fundamentals. The next segment is the 'Infection Control' segment, which is also a written test. This has 100 more objective-type questions from a variety of topics, such as information on various diseases, the risks involved and the prevention methods. The last segment of the exam is the 'Health and Safety' segment, which again has 100 objective-type questions.
One can opt to take Certified Dental Assistant portion as well, which has 210 more objective-type questions.
One can prepare for this exam by studying from the text book and notes of the Dental Assistant program. One also has the option of purchasing a CDA study guide. It is advisable to participate in study-groups with other individuals who are also taking
the CDA exam.
There are many free practice tests available on the Internet as well. One can choose to give the exam in written or computerized form according to suitability.
It is advisable to take the CDA test right after you have finished the Dental Assistant program since you would retain all the information given to you in the program. Moreover, you would still be in the learning mode and as a result not have too much of test anxiety.
It has also been observed that applicants who give the CDA exam right after they finish the program generally score more than others.
Some states allow those who have passed the exam to perform many dental procedures and this can not only make you a great asset for the dental facility where you work, but also get you a substantially higher salary.
Employers are also seen to prefer certified dental assistants to uncertified ones. Although it is not mandatory to go through the CDA exam, Dental Assistants are definitely better off in taking the exam. This is because if they pass the exam they will have better employment opportunities and also be able to get a much better pay and even if an applicant is not able to pass the exam, he does not loose anything.
The cost of giving the CDA exam varies from state to state and these tests are held on a monthly basis. If you want then you can get hold of a schedule of CDA exams from a number of sources, such as your program instructor, the 'State Dental Board' or from 'The Dental Assisting National Board, Inc'. You may also consult them to suggest you the best study-material for the test.
Although most states don’t require one to have a certificate degree of this program, having a certificate of a Dental Assistant program may just give the required boost to your career in this field. It has also been observed that certified Dental Assistants get paid more than the uncertified ones.
The standards for the Certified Dental Assistant have been set by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. The CDA exam mainly comprises of three parts. The first part is the 'General Chairside', a written test that has 120 objective-type questions.
All the questions are primarily based on basic Dental Assistant fundamentals. The next segment is the 'Infection Control' segment, which is also a written test. This has 100 more objective-type questions from a variety of topics, such as information on various diseases, the risks involved and the prevention methods. The last segment of the exam is the 'Health and Safety' segment, which again has 100 objective-type questions.
One can opt to take Certified Dental Assistant portion as well, which has 210 more objective-type questions.
One can prepare for this exam by studying from the text book and notes of the Dental Assistant program. One also has the option of purchasing a CDA study guide. It is advisable to participate in study-groups with other individuals who are also taking
There are many free practice tests available on the Internet as well. One can choose to give the exam in written or computerized form according to suitability.
It is advisable to take the CDA test right after you have finished the Dental Assistant program since you would retain all the information given to you in the program. Moreover, you would still be in the learning mode and as a result not have too much of test anxiety.
It has also been observed that applicants who give the CDA exam right after they finish the program generally score more than others.
Some states allow those who have passed the exam to perform many dental procedures and this can not only make you a great asset for the dental facility where you work, but also get you a substantially higher salary.
Employers are also seen to prefer certified dental assistants to uncertified ones. Although it is not mandatory to go through the CDA exam, Dental Assistants are definitely better off in taking the exam. This is because if they pass the exam they will have better employment opportunities and also be able to get a much better pay and even if an applicant is not able to pass the exam, he does not loose anything.
The cost of giving the CDA exam varies from state to state and these tests are held on a monthly basis. If you want then you can get hold of a schedule of CDA exams from a number of sources, such as your program instructor, the 'State Dental Board' or from 'The Dental Assisting National Board, Inc'. You may also consult them to suggest you the best study-material for the test.