CDA case studies
CDA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential is awarded by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) to dental assistants who pass the CDA exam, which DANB describes as a milestone achievement in a dental assisting career. It is aimed at working and aspiring chairside assistants who want a nationally recognized credential that demonstrates commitment to the profession and supports both patient care and the dental team. The CDA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,736 words.
1The Patient Who Skipped Breakfast
Alvarez, 58, arrives at 8:00 a.m. His health history lists type 2 diabetes managed with insulin, and while you are seating him he mentions he "took his shot" at 6:45 but skipped breakfast because he wasn't hungry.
761 words, about 4 min2Four Bitewings on a Gagging Nine-Year-Old
Maya, age 9, is scheduled for four bitewing radiographs; her last images were taken 14 months ago. She has a small mouth and a strong gag reflex - last time she gagged on the bite-block so badly the exposure was aborted.
733 words, about 4 min3The Positive Spore Test on a Monday Morning
It is Monday, 7:45 a.m., and you are the first assistant in. load - three pouch-wrapped extraction forceps, two bagged handpieces, and a cassette of mirrors and scalers - ran on the 20-minute wrapped-instrument cycle, and every external strip turned brown.
744 words, about 4 min4The White Patch and the Question You Cannot Answer
Nguyen, 41, is in for a new-patient exam and prophylaxis. His history notes half a pack a day for twenty years and two beers most evenings.
714 words, about 4 min5The Panoramic That Will Not Hold Still
Kowalski, 76, is scheduled for a panoramic radiograph before a full-mouth extraction consult. He is 6'4", uses a walker, has a resting head tremor and a strong gag reflex, and can hold still for roughly ten seconds at a time.
784 words, about 4 min