To be a dental assistant in the state of Texas, you actually may perform very basic supportive dental procedures under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist without education or training requirements. That is, if you can get a dentist to hire you without training!
Dentists in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex generally will not hire a person who has not 1) completed all the requirements needed to apply for their Registered Dental Assistant license and 2) had at least some exposure to working in a dental office.
So with that in mind, to apply for your Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) you must meet these four qualifications:
- Graduate from high school or hold a GED; and
- Successfully complete a hands-on course in basic life support (provided by DCDSDAS); and
- Successfully complete a mandatory course of training specified by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) that includes training in dental x-rays, jurisprudence and infection control (provided by DCDSDAS); and
- Apply to the TSBDE for registration (guidance provided by DCDSDAS).
Then, gaining exposure to work in a dental office usually requires an externship of some sort. Most dental assistant schools require you to hunt down your own externship. At DCDS Dental Assisting School, we do the externship hunting for you, and often can match you for an externship with a dentist in the dental specialty you prefer.
When you finish the DCDS Dental Assisting School program, you will have over 40 externship hours and will have trained on how to interview and write a professional resume. You will be CPR and Radiology certified and will have received your Dental Assisting Certificate. This Dental Assisting Certificate is proof you completed and passed our course, and is your ticket to take the TSBDE exam to receive your RDA.
Call DCDS Dental Assisting School now to find out more about the 12-week program that can lead you into a successful career as a dental assistant!
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