RDA (Other exams) case studies
RDA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) credential is a state-level licensure or registration title for dental assistants who have completed an approved educational program and passed a written or clinical examination. Unlike national certifications that travel with the holder, RDA status is granted by a state dental board, so the requirements, permitted duties, and renewal rules differ from one jurisdiction to the next. The RDA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,950 words.
1The Failed Spore Test on a Monday Morning
It is Monday, 7:45 a.m., and the office's only autoclave has just reported a positive biological indicator (spore test) from Friday's 4:00 p.m. run; the result sat on the counter all weekend.
822 words, about 4 min2Elevated Dosimeter in a Pregnant Assistant
A 29-year-old RDA tells the dentist she is 10 weeks pregnant. Her dosimeter report for the last monitoring period reads 1.2 mSv, up from her usual 0.1-0.2 mSv.
785 words, about 4 min3Etchant Left on a Subgingival Class II
A 47-year-old patient is scheduled for a mesio-occlusal-distal composite on tooth #30. The distal margin sits about 1 mm below the free gingival margin, and the gingiva bleeds readily whenever the dentist retracts the cheek.
780 words, about 4 min4Two Impressions and a Closed Lab
At 4:40 on a Friday afternoon, the dentist takes a maxillary alginate impression for orthodontic study models and a mandibular vinyl polysiloxane impression for a crown. The courier collected at noon and the lab is closed until Monday; the office is closed until Monday as well.
765 words, about 4 min5A Divorced Parent, a Subpoena, and a Wrong Tooth
A 14-year-old patient's parents are divorced. The chart holds a copy of a court order granting the mother sole legal custody, and the mother has just called asking for a full copy of the records.
798 words, about 4 min