To earn status as a Licensed Dental Assistant in Minnesota, dental assistants must:
1. Pass the national DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam, AND
2a. Graduate from a MN CODA-accredited dental assisting program, or
2b. Graduate from a CODA-accredited program in a state other than MN and, upon MN Board review of curriculum, complete additional coursework, AND
3. Pass the MN Dental Assistant State Licensing exam *(formerly known as the MN Registration exam), AND
4. Pass the MN Jurisprudence Exam, AND
5. Apply for licensure to the MN Board of Dentistry.
All licensed dental assistants must maintain a consecutive and current certificate in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) at the BLS level.
Note: A dental assistant who received and maintained registration in MN prior to Jan. 1, 2010, can continue to practice as a licensed dental assistant without completing any further requirements. The licensed dental assistant must submit the fee for an original license to the MN board at the time of renewal.
To perform restorative procedures limited to placing, contouring and adjusting amalgam restorations, glass ionomers, and supragingival composite restorations (class I, II and V) where the margins are entirely within the enamel, and adapting and cementing stainless steel crowns, a Licensed Dental Assistant must have completed a MN Board of Dentistry-approved course in these functions and have submitted proof of completion to the MN Board of Dentistry.
Learn more about DANB's Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification
CODA-Accredited Dental Assisting Programs