By: Natalie Kaweckyj, LDA, RF, CDA, CDPMA, COA, COMSA, CPFDA, CRFDA, MADAA, BA
Are you looking to become a dental assistant or are moving as a current dental assistant? Make sure to check the dental assistant requirements in New Jersey to see if you are still qualified in the state to practice.
Each state has different requirements for dental assistants, here are the levels, and functions permitted for dental assistants in New Jersey.
Levels of Dental Assistants in New Jersey
There are three levels of dental assistants in New Jersey:
- Unregistered Dental Assistant
- Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
- Limited Registered Dental Assistant in Orthodontics (LRDA-O)
1. Unregistered Dental Assistant
An unregistered dental assistant in the state of New Jersey may perform basic supportive dental procedures specified by the state dental practice act under the direct supervision of a NJ-licensed dentist. There are no education or training requirements for this level of dental assisting.
2. Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
To perform expanded functions under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist in the state of New Jersey, dental assistants must be licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry as Registered Dental Assistants (RDA). To register as an RDA, one must:
- Successfully complete high school or its equivalent, AND
- Pass DANB’s national Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) exam (within 10 years prior to application), AND
- Graduate from a New Jersey Board-approved CODA-accredited dental assisting program (within 10 years prior to application), OR
- Obtain at least two years’ work experience as a dental assistant (within five years prior to application), successfully complete a New Jersey Board-approved program in expanded functions, and pass the New Jersey Expanded Duties-General Exam (administered by DANB), OR
- Obtain at least two years’ work experience as a dental assistant (within five years prior to application) and pass the New Jersey Expanded Duties – General Exam (administered by DANB), AND
- Apply for licensure as an RDA to the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry.
3. Limited Registered Dental Assistant in Orthodontics (LRDA-O)
To perform specified orthodontic functions under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist in the state of New Jersey, a dental assistant must be licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry as a Limited Registered Dental Assistant in Orthodontics (LRDA-O). To register as an LRDA-O, one must:
- Satisfactorily complete, within the past 10 years, a training program for dental assistants approved by the Board and accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), AND
- Have passed, within the past 10 years, DANB’s Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) Exam, Topical Fluoride (TF) Exam, and the Coronal Polish (CP) Exam, AND
- Apply to the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry for registration as an LRDA-O. OR
- Be a high school graduate (or its equivalent), AND
- Have at least two years’ work experience as a dental assistant under the supervision of a licensed dentist holding a specialty permit in orthodontics during the five-year period prior to application, AND
- Have passed, within the past 10 years, DANB’s Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) Exam, Topical Fluoride (TF) Exam, and the Coronal Polish (CP) Exam, AND
- Apply to the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry for registration as an LRDA-O.
Note: To satisfy the work experience requirement for the second pathway, a dental assistant must complete the work experience requirements needed to sit for the COA examination.
- DA License Application Process Overview
- New Jersey Board of Dentistry Law
- New Jersey State Board of Dentistry
Radiography Requirements for Dental Assistants in NJ
To legally operate dental x-ray equipment and perform dental radiographic procedures in New Jersey, a dental assistant must be licensed as a Dental Radiologic Technologist (DRT) by the New Jersey Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners.
To obtain this license, one must:
- Successfully complete high school or its equivalent, AND
- Be at least 18 years of age, AND
- Be of good moral character, AND
- Successfully complete a New Jersey State-approved dental radiography course or its equivalent within the 5 years prior to application and pass the national DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam within the five years prior to application, OR
- Successfully complete a NJ state-approved dental radiography course or its equivalent more than 5 years prior to application and pass the national DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam within the five years prior to application, and document competent work experience in performing dental radiography procedures within 5 years prior to application (Note: it is illegal to obtain this work experience in New Jersey without the permission of the NJ Bureau of X-Ray Compliance.), OR
- Successfully complete a NJ state-approved dental radiography course or its equivalent and hold current national DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification, AND
- Apply for licensure to the State of New Jersey Bureau of X-Ray Compliance.
Note: A licensed DRT is not permitted to perform cone-beam CT procedures unless he or she has met the requirements in the 12/31/13 exemption. Please contact the Bureau of X-Ray Compliance at 609-984-5890 for details.
- New Jersey Bureau of X-Ray Compliance
- New Jersey Dental Radiologic Technologist Requirements brochure (PDF)
- Learn more about DANB’s Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam
- Learn more about DANB’s Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification
Photo by Manoj Kulkarni
