HOW TO QUALIFY

Graduate from a Board-approved RDA educational program of a minimum of (800) hours (approximately 8 months)

OR

Complete at least 15 months of satisfactory and (1,280 Hours) paid work experience as a dental assistant with a dentist licensed in one of the states in the United States. (Your training at OC Dental Academy counts as 200 hours of work experience.)

OR

Complete a California Department of Education approved 4-month educational program, and 11 months of work experience with a dentist(s) licensed in one of the states of the United States.

* Foreign education and/or experience is not accepted.

STEP 1

Complete 5 Certifications and 1 Fingerprint/LiveScan

Instructions: Successfully complete all of the following 5 certifications and Fingerprint/LiveScan

California 8-Hour Infection Control Certificate

California Radiation Safety Certificate

California Dental Practice Act

California Coronal Polishing Certificate

CPR – For the Healthcare Provider

Fingerprint/LiveScan

PIT AND FISSURE SEALANT CERTIFICATION

For candidates applying and testing for licensure as a Registered Dental Assisting on or after January 1, 2010, evidence of pit and fissure sealant certification may either be submitted at the time of application or at the first renewal requiring continuing education of the RDA license.

Per B&P Code Section 1752.6: A registered dental assistant licensed on and after January 1, 2010, shall provide evidence of successful completion of a board-approved course in the application of pit and fissure sealants prior to the first expiration of his or her license that requires the completion of continuing education as a condition of renewal. The license of a registered dental assistant who does not provide evidence of successful completion of that course shall not be renewed until evidence of course completion is provided.

STEP 2

Fill out Application and Fingerprint/LiveScan

Instructions: All applicants must fill out the application below. This link will take you to the main application and the Fingerprint/Live Scan form. Fill out the application and follow all directions on what kind of copies are needed.

Download the application

STEP 3

CHOOSE 1 FORM

Instructions: Fill out 1 of the forms below. Choose the form according to how you are qualifying for the examination.

RDA 2- (EDUCATION ONLY) – Use this form if you graduated from a board approved Registered Dental Assisting Program.

Download the form

RDA 3- (WORK EXPERIENCE ONLY) – Use this form if you are qualifying by completing 15 months and 1280 hours of work experience as a dental assistant.

Download the form

RDA 4- (MIXED EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE) – Use this form if you are qualifying with both, completion of a non-approved dental assisting program, and work experience as a dental assistant.

Download the form

Read and follow instructions carefully.

INSTRUCTIONS– APPROVED EDUCATION PATHWAY

INSTRUCTIONS– WORK EXPERIENCE AND BLENDED PATHWAYS

STEP 4

Check List

Instruction: Make sure your application is complete and you have the following copies of certifications and appropriate forms.

California 8-Hour Infection Control Certification

California Radiation Safety Certification

California Dental Practice Act

California Coronal Polishing Certification

CPR – Healthcare Provider

Fingerprint/ LiveScan

Application (All Applicants)

Addition Form

Application Fee

STEP 5

What Happens after the Application?

Approximately 30 days after you submitted your application, you will be sent a letter informing you of your application status.

NOT QUALIFIED: If you are not qualified, you will be mailed a deficiency letter. If you have not been notified after 4 – 6 weeks from the filing of your application, you should contact the Board offices.

QUALIFIED: If you are qualified, you will be sent notification and a Candidate Handbook from PSI advising you of how to apply for and schedule your written examination. Your Candidate Handbook will provide more detailed information about the content of the exam, important information about the examination process, suggestions for the examination day and other important testing information.

STEP 6

Take Registered Dental Assisting Test

ABOUT THE TEST

There are 140 scored question with 15 non-scored questions. The test is administered by a company called PSI. There are many test site locations located in California. The closest location to Southern California is in Anaheim. You will be taking the timed test on a computer that is provided. Upon completion of your test, you will be given a pass or fail, and the results will be immediately sent to the California Dental Board.

Below are links from the California Dental Board website showing you what will be on the test and about the company that will be administering the test.

Psychological Services Incorporated (PSI) Candidate Handbook for the RDA General and Law and Ethics Written Exam

RDA Combined Exam Plan

OC Dental Academy wants to help you pass the exam, so we have created a one-day seminar written review course to help you thru this process.

All information was acquired from the website of The California Dental Board
www.dbc.ca.gov/applicants/rda/becomelicensed.shtml