How Do I Apply for a Dental Assistant Registration?

To become a registered dental assistant, an individual must submit an application to the board for review and approval.

Submit a completed application with all required questions answered.

Pay fee and forward additional documentation to the board upon receipt.

Completed training and/or education that meets one of the following:

• Worked in a dental office as a dental assistant trainee and achieved clinical competence as determined by the supervising dentist; or have prior dental assisting experience with licensed dentist in another state within the previous five (5) years; or
• Be a graduate of accredited dental assisting program.

Applicants for dental assistant registration are required to successfully complete the board-approved examinations in the following areas:

1. Infection control and hazardous materials.
2. Iowa jurisprudence.
3. Dental radiography. (Only required if the applicant intends to take dental x-rays when registered.)

If you complete the board's examinations, you will not need to submit evidence of your passing scores as staff will have direct access to that information. If you completed other exams approved by the board, you will need to forward evidence of successful completion.

A complete list of testing sites that offer the board's examinations  is available here.

Current CPR certification.  You may be asked to provide evidence upon request.