RDA (AMT) case studies
RDA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) credential is a state-level licensure or certification that authorizes a dental assistant to perform specified clinical duties - often including expanded functions such as radiography, placement of certain restorative materials, and coronal polishing - under the supervision of a licensed dentist. Requirements are set by the dental board of the state where you intend to work, so the credential is portable in name but not always in scope: duties, application pathways, and renewal terms differ from one jurisdiction to another. The RDA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,679 words.
1Limited Opening, Reflux, and a Saturated Cotton Roll Mid-Preparation
A 34-year-old woman is in for a MOD composite on tooth #30. Her maximum opening is 30 mm, she has a pronounced gag reflex, and she asked not to be laid flat because of reflux.
795 words, about 4 min2Failed Biological Indicator on a Load That Was Already Used
Monday morning, the office's second autoclave - a 2016 gravity-displacement unit - shows a failed biological indicator from Friday's 4:15 pm load. That load contained 14 hand instruments and two curette sets, all pouched, sealed, and returned to the cabinet.
766 words, about 4 min3Radiographs for a Patient Who Is 11 Weeks Pregnant
A 31-year-old woman at 11 weeks' gestation presents as a new patient with a broken filling on #19 and no pain. She has no radiographs from the past four years.
540 words, about 3 min4"Just Cement the Temp Before You Go"
It is 4:40 pm Friday. The dentist has finished preparing tooth #14, packed cord, and taken the impression.
788 words, about 4 min5Periodontal Disease, an A1c of 9.8, and a Patient Who Does Not Want a Lecture
A 58-year-old man is in for a recall. His chart shows 5–7 mm pockets in all four posterior sextants, bleeding on probing at 62% of sites, and heavy calculus.
790 words, about 4 min