While we are a New Jersey based business, we do have a number of
students who have come to us from other states. Much of the
information you'll find on our website will apply in states other than
New Jersey, however the specific requirements to obtain the
applicable credentials necessary to practice as a
dental assistant may vary from state to state.
In New Jersey there are three main agencies that aspiring dental
assistants
need to be familiar with in order to obtain
their credentials. Again the specific agencies or governing
bodies that issue and oversee dental assisting credentials, along with
the specific functions that a dental assistant is permitted to perform
will vary from
state to state.
According to DANB's
(one of the governing bodies) website, 38 different
states plus the District of Columbia require or recognize the
certifications and exams they provide. What does this mean
for you? It means that if you are in one of the other states that
accepts or requires a DANB exam that we may be able to help you.
Though what is considered a passing score may vary from state to state,
DANB exams are the same in every state that offers them.
If you are traveling from a nearby state such as New York or
Pennsylvania and don't
mind the drive, then you're certainly welcome here! Our directions page provides
directions for those coming from the major North Jersey highways, the PA Turnpike, and the Lehigh Valley.
If you are beyond a reasonable driving distance, but still live in a
state where a DANB
exam is required or accepted and are interested in
the training programs provided by Dental Assistant Services, we may
still be able to help. However, you are responsible for finding out what
the specific requirements are for obtaining the necessary credentials in
your home state. Keep reading for more information.
Given their national reach, DANB's
website has a very useful page that provides
links to the different governing bodies or agencies in each of the 50
states plus the District of Columbia. This page also provides
additional information about the recognition of DANB exams outside of
New Jersey, as well as charts indicating state specific requirements
and the permitted functions of a dental assistant in each state. Click
here to visit this
page.
If you plan to take a DANB
exam as part of your state's requirements we
may be able to help. You may want to take a look at our Course Overview
page which briefly describes each of our program courses and the
corresponding exams that they prepare you to take. Of course you
are always welcome to call our office at 732-919-1816 for
further information.
International Students
While
we are based in the United States (and more specifically New Jersey),
we do have a number of international students. New Jersey is one
of the most populated states in the US, and Dental Assistant Services
is located less than 90 minutes from both New York City and
Philadelphia.
Much of the
information you'll find on our website will also apply in states other than
New Jersey, however the specific requirements to obtain the required credentials necessary to practice as a
dental assistant may vary from state to state. If you are
planning to move to the United States, but not NJ specifically be sure
to read the section above for more
information.
All of the courses at Dental Assistant Services are taught in English
and while you do not need to be an expert at the English language to
take our courses, you should be familiar with the language prior to
enrolling. International students entering the United States will
need to
have their degrees and/or transcripts both translated into English and
evaluated to determine the US equivalent to your degree. A US
high school degree or its equivalent is required to obtain the necessary
dental assisting credentials in New Jersey. Nearly
all of the international degrees that we have come across have been evaluated as having either the equivalent
of a US high school degree or higher. This is not typically
something you would need to be concerned about.
Please be aware that it is not sufficient to translate your degree(s)
and/or transcripts yourself. This must be done by a pre-approved
provider. Perhaps the most frequently used service is World
Education Services,
or WES for short. If you use WES, you can order the less expensive "WES Basic -
Document by Document Report". While most people use WES, you are
not
obligated or required to do so yourself. The NJ Department of
Environmental Protection has a list
of other companies
that you can use to have your credentials (degrees and/or transcripts)
translated and evaluated. You may have to scroll down to see the
list.
International Doctors
While
we are based in the United States (and more specifically New Jersey),
we do have a number of doctors from other countries seeking to move to
the United States and continue their dental practice. Since it can
take some time to become fully and properly licensed and recognized as a
dentist in the United States, many international doctors choose to work
as
dental assistants while completing the process of becoming a US-based
dentist.
Much of the
information you'll find on our website will apply in states other than
New Jersey, however the specific requirements to obtain the required credentials necessary to practice as a
dental assistant may vary from state to state. If you are
planning to move to the United States, but not NJ specifically be sure
to read the
section above for more information.
All of the courses at Dental Assistant Services are taught in English
and while you do not need to be an expert at the English language to
take our courses, you should be familiar with the language prior to
enrolling. International students entering the United States will
need to
have their degrees and/or transcripts both translated into English and
evaluated to determine the US equivalent to your degree. A US
high school degree or its equivalent is required to obtain the necessary
dental assisting credentials in the state of New Jersey.
By virtue of being a doctor in your home country and having obtained a
degree in dentistry you should not have to be concerned about the
degree
evaluation. Nevertheless, you must still go through the
translation and evaluation process. Please be aware that it is
not sufficient to translate your degree(s) and/or transcripts
yourself.
This must be done by a
pre-approved provider. Perhaps the most frequently used service is
World
Education Services,
or WES for short. If you use WES, you can order the less expensive "WES Basic -
Document by Document Report". While most people use WES, you are
not
obligated or required to do so yourself. The NJ Department of
Environmental Protection has a list
of other companies
that you can use to have your credentials (degrees and/or transcripts)
translated and evaluated. You may have to scroll down to see the
list.
With regards to becoming certified and/or licensed to practice as a dental
assistant in the state of New Jersey and in the United States you will
be required to complete the same requirements and pass the same set of
examinations as other students. However, by virtue of having a doctoral
degree you would not be
required to meet the experience
requirements
necessary to become a Chairside Assistant, a Certified Dental
Assistant (CDA
) certificant, or a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA).
Similarly, by virtue of your degree you would not be required to meet the same educational requirements that other
students must meet.
Your degree and experience as a dentist should provide you with the
knowledge and
expertise necessary to pass the required examinations. As an
example, the first exam that students will typically take is the
Radiation Health &
Safety (RHS
) exam. In lieu of taking our live state approved Radiology course you may wish
instead to take our self-study Review of Radiation Health & Safety course,
which would serve as a great refresher and study aid in preparing for
the RHS exam. For further information about what educational
and/or experience requirements you would and would not be required to
meet, please contact us.
need to be familiar with in order to obtain
their credentials. Again the specific agencies or governing
bodies that issue and oversee dental assisting credentials, along with
the specific functions that a dental assistant is permitted to perform
will vary from
state to state.![[DANB Disclaimer]](../images/dagger.jpg "The DANB logo is a registered trademark, CDA, COA, DANB, and Dental Assisting National Board are registered certification marks, RHS and ICE are registered service marks, Certified Dental Assistant and CPDA are certification marks, and the DANB-Approved logo is a service mark of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB). This website, our products, and our courses are not reviewed or endorsed by DANB."){kind=small}
(one of the governing bodies) website, 38 different
states plus the District of Columbia require or recognize the
certifications and exams they provide. What does this mean
for you? It means that if you are in one of the other states that
accepts or requires a DANB exam that we may be able to help you.
Though what is considered a passing score may vary from state to state,
DANB exams are the same in every state that offers them.
