Tennessee Dental Assistant Requirements
Each state has different requirements for dental assistants. This page includes links to all the information you need to understand the requirements for dental assistants in this state. View the different dental assisting levels, along with the requirements for each. You can also view the allowable duties at each level.
Dental Assistant Levels and Requirements
Radiography Requirements
To legally operate dental x-ray equipment and perform dental radiographic procedures under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist in Tennessee, a dental assistant must hold a certificate in dental radiology from the Tennessee Board of Dentistry.
A dental assistant must:
1. Be a Registered Dental Assistant, AND
2a. Successfully complete a Tennessee Board-approved radiology certification course (to qualify, one must be a current Tennessee RDA), or
2b. Successfully complete a comparable training program in dental radiology in another state, or
2c. Be enrolled in a CODA-accredited or Board-approved dental assisting program that offers a dental radiology course as part of its curriculum, or
2d. Hold current DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification, or
2e. Pass DANB’s Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam, AND
3. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Dentistry for state certification in dental radiology
