Recertification

DANB recognizes the dynamic and emerging roles of Certified Assistants in providing quality care to patients in a dental setting. DANB assists Certified Dental Assistants (CDAs), Certified Orthodontic Assistants (COAs), Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Assistants (COMSAs), and Certified Dental Practice Management Administrators (CDPMAs) in meeting these ever changing roles by requiring continuing dental education (CDE) hours. DANB's credentials are known in the dental community as a mark of dental assisting excellence. This measure of excellence can be maintained only if each certificant is able to demonstrate interest in maintaining competence through CDE attendance.

Credential Maintenance

Certification is current for a one-year period. Once certification is earned, the certificant has one year to accrue the appropriate number of continuing dental education (CDE) hours in order to be eligible to renew the certification. Payment of a renewal fee is due on/before the assigned expiration date (indicated on the renewal statement). A late fee of $10 will be assessed after the Certificate expiration date, but within the 3-month grace period. Certificate and wallet card processing takes approximately 4-6 weeks.

Information on recertification is provided in the Recertification Guidelines, included in the initial certificate packet, Certified Press newsletter, or upon request. DANB certificants are randomly selected for CDE verification audit.

DANB has a variety of programs available to reinstate the CDA, COA, or CDPMA credential. Interested individuals should call 1-800-FOR-DANB x445 and speak to a the Assistant Director, Recertification

Please note: Current COMSA certificants can continue to renew their credential, provided they meet the recertification CDE hours and remit renewal fee. If a person holding a lapsed COMSA credential wants to again be DANB certified, the individual must select a new credential (CDA, COA, or CDPMA), then apply, sit for, and pass that particular examination.

If certification lapses, the individual is no longer certified and may NOT use the credential or the acronym under any circumstances.

Benefits of Certification

By becoming DANB certified, dental assistants demonstrate their commitment to excellence. Maintaining a DANB credential not only shows personal professional growth and commitment, but also promotes the image of a complete professional team. The presence of credentialed dental assistants in an office enhances the dental team’s reputation for quality dental care.

Being DANB Certified makes a difference to patients whose care should be provided by competent/Certified individuals, to employers who are looking to staff their facilities or offices with and retain skilled/experienced dental assistants, and to the individual dental assistant who earns the DANB credential.

There are many advantages to maintaining DANB certification. Among the most important:

For the patient (and the patient’s family)

DANB Certification provides assurance that the dental assistant has obtained the knowledge and skills to enable him or her to competently provide the patient with quality care.
Certification can strengthen a patient’s confidence in the dental team--a team that consists of a licensed dentist, registered hygienist and a DANB Certified Assistant.
Certification enhances a dental assistant’s reputation for delivery of quality services, helping to ensure public safety.

For the employer/dentist

DANB Certification signifies that the dental assistant has met or exceeded the national criterion established to measure baseline knowledge and experience in dental assisting and elevates the professional practice standards for dental assistants.
DANB credentials encourage employers to recruit, retain, and reward choice employees committed to quality and competence.
Many employers believe that Certification provides a level of professionalism that can positively effect the practice’s bottom line.
On average, DANB Certified Assistants stay in the dental field at least twice as long as their non-certified colleagues–an average of over 14 years!
Holding DANB Certification may allow assistants to perform expanded duties in certain states--an asset to any office.

For the individual dental assistant

Colleagues, employers, educators, consumers, state boards of dentistry and other state dental regulatory agencies recognize a DANB certificant’s expertise in dental assisting.
Certification provides a sense of personal achievement that can boost self-esteem and self-confidence.
Being DANB Certified promotes your professional pride and achievement.
Certification enhances professional career mobility in the many states that recognize or require a DANB credential or certification, with resultant increase in employment opportunities and earning potential.
Ongoing association with the ADA-recognized national certifying organization for dental assistants, an organization with the same high standards and professional values you hold.
Becoming DANB Certified demonstrates a commitment to excellence—only attained by dedicated dental assistants who strive for the best.
DANB-Certified dental assistants earn an average of $2 an hour more than non-certified assistants nationwide.

The DANB Board of Directors and staff are proud to serve our certificants, and to assist all interested and qualified dental assistants in becoming certified and maintaining certification. DANB promotes and protects the value and integrity of its credentials, and represents the professional interests of its certificants in a variety of public forums.