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 Connecticut 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 Connecticut.
Levels of Dental Assistants in Connecticut
There are two levels of dental assistants in Connecticut:
1. Dental Assistant
A dental assistant in Connecticut may perform basic supportive dental procedures specified by the state dental practice act under the supervision of a licensed dentist.
Effective July 1, 2018, all dental assistants and Expanded Function Dental Assistants must provide records demonstrating successful performance on DANB’s Infection Control (ICE) exam or an infection control competency assessment administered by a CODA-accredited dental education program in Connecticut.
PLEASE NOTE: New dental assistants in Connecticut hired after July 1, 2018, have fifteen months from the start of employment to receive on-the-job training by a licensed dentist to prepare for and pass the exam if they have not done so already.
DANB’s Infection Control Exam (ICE) became a component of the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification on June 1, 1993. The ICE exam became a component of the Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) certification on June 1, 1994.
2. Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA)
To perform expanded functions under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed dentist in the state of Connecticut, a dental assistant must earn Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) status.
To qualify as an EFDA, one must:
- Maintain current DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) or Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) certification
- Successfully complete an expanded function dental assistant program at a higher education institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) that includes educational courses related to didactic and laboratory preclinical objectives and at least four hours of education in ethics and professional standards for dental professionals and a comprehensive clinical exam administered by the higher education program at the conclusion of the program
- Pass DANB’s Certified Preventive Functions Dental Assistant (CPFDA) certification exam and DANB’s Certified Restorative Functions Dental Assistant (CRFDA) certification exam
Note: The EFDA provisions above are part of a new law passed by the Connecticut legislature in 2016. Additional details related to the EFDA education curriculum and allowable EFDA functions are under development. Contact the CT State Dental Commission for additional information.
Effective July 1, 2018, any EFDA must show successful completion of DANB’s infection control (ICE) exam or an infection control competency assessment administered by a CODA-accredited dental education program in Connecticut.
- Dental assistants in Connecticut hired after July 1, 2018, have nine months from the start of employment to receive on-the-job training by a licensed dentist to prepare for and pass the exam if they have not done so already.
Requirements to Operate X-Ray Equipment & Perform Radiographic Procedures
To legally operate dental x-ray equipment and perform dental radiographic procedures in Connecticut, a dental assistant must meet the requirements shown below.
A dental assistant must pass the national DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam.
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