DANB CDA study guide
DANB 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. DANB describes passing the CDA exam as "a milestone achievement" and positions CDA among its featured exams, alongside Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE) and the National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) exam. DANB frames certification as a way to show commitment to your dental career and to better support your patients and your team, and it maintains dedicated pages for earning, maintaining and renewing certification, verifying credentials, and checking state requirements. This independent study page organizes preparation around four content areas: Radiation Health and Safety, Infection Control, General Chairside Assisting, and Dental Assisting Professional Knowledge. The DANB CDA study guide has 4 sections and about 1,927 words.
01Radiation Health and Safety
The Radiation Health and Safety domain tests how you protect patients and the operator while producing diagnostically acceptable images. Expect questions on exposure factors, filtration and collimation, receptor selection, operator positioning, processing, mounting, and technique artifacts.
482 words, about 2 min02Infection Control
The Infection Control domain tests standard precautions, PPE, hand hygiene, disinfection and sterilization, waterline management, and safe handling of sharps and laboratory items. Questions often ask you to choose the correct processing level for an item or interpret sterilization monitoring.
498 words, about 2 min03General Chairside Assisting
The General Chairside domain tests four-handed dentistry, instrument transfer, charting, isolation, restorative and impression materials, anesthesia support, and chairside emergencies. The exam favors tasks you perform in sequence, so know the steps and the reason behind each one.
483 words, about 2 min04Dental Assisting Professional Knowledge
The Professional Knowledge domain tests the legal, ethical, administrative, and anatomical background that supports chairside work. Expect questions on scope of practice, informed consent, confidentiality, record keeping, communication, dental terminology, and the roles of the dental team.
464 words, about 2 min