CDA study guide
CDA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
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 exam draws on three content areas: General Chairside Assisting, Radiation Health and Safety, and Infection Control. DANB offers the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) and Infection Control (ICE) exams as standalone tests that are also component exams of several DANB certifications, so candidates often sit these alongside the general chairside portion. Topics on this exam: General Chairside Assisting (GC), Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), and Infection Control (ICE). The CDA study guide has 3 sections and about 1,166 words.
01General Chairside Assisting (GC)
Chairside questions test whether you can anticipate the dentist's next instrument, material, or patient need. Organize your study around four clusters. Armamentarium and four-handed dentistry. Know instrument categories (exam/exploring, hand-cutting, restorative, accessory) and grasp principles: a stable fulcrum on a firm tooth surface, a pen grasp for precision, and transfer zones that keep the working end visible and never pass over the patient's face.
372 words, about 2 min02Radiation Health and Safety (RHS)
X-rays are produced when electrons from a heated tungsten filament (thermionic emission) accelerate toward a tungsten target. mA controls the number of x-rays produced (quantity and density); kVp controls their energy, meaning penetration and contrast scale; exposure time interacts with both. Raising kVp darkens the image across a wider range of tissue thicknesses and lowers patient dose for a given density compared with raising mA. ALARA governs every decision: fastest available receptor speed, rectangular collimation when possible, 2.75-inch round collimation otherwise, filtration of at least 2.5 mm aluminum equivalent on units operating at 70 kVp or above, lead apron with thyroid collar, and a 16-inch position-indicating device.
392 words, about 2 min03Infection Control (ICE)
Infection control questions reward precision about categories. The chain of infection has six links: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Every control you perform breaks one link. Standard precautions apply to every patient regardless of diagnosis, because a health history alone cannot reveal carriage; blood, saliva, and all body fluids are treated as potentially infectious.
402 words, about 2 min