North Carolina Dental Assistant Requirements

To perform expanded functions under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist in North Carolina, one must be classified as a DA II. To qualify as a DA II, one must:

1. Hold a current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification, AND

2a. Successfully complete a CODA-accredited dental assisting program or one academic year or longer in a CODA-accredited dental hygiene program, or

2b. Pass the national DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) exam, or

2c. Complete a 3-hour course in sterilization and infection control and complete a 3-hour course in dental office emergencies and, after completing these courses and Item (1) above, receive training in any dental delivery setting and perform the functions of a Dental Assistant II under the direct control and supervision of a licensed dentist.

To qualify to perform coronal polishing, a DA II must:

1. Complete a course in coronal polishing identical to that taught in a CODA-accredited dental assisting program, or by a licensed North Carolina hygienist or dentist lasting at least seven clock hours and meeting content requirements established by the North Carolina Board, before using a slow speed handpiece with rubber cup or bristle brush attachment.

To qualify to monitor patients under nitrous oxide, a DA II must:

1. Successfully complete a North Carolina Board-approved seven-hour course in nitrous oxide-oxygen conscious sedation.

Note: At its April 8, 2021 meeting, the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners opined that a foreign trained dentist may serve as a Dental Assistant II, provided that their credentials are verified by the supervising dentist.