The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), the only national certification board for dental assistants recognized by the ADA, is encouraging dental professionals across the U.S. to utilize its services to ensure dental team members are appropriately trained.
On March 28, 2013, the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry filed a 17-count complaint against a Tulsa, OK, oral surgeon, with charges of being a menace to public health and gross negligence. Specific allegations include using rusty instruments, reusing needles, not properly sterilizing instruments, not properly maintaining or using the autoclave, using expired medications, keeping incomplete drug logs, and allowing unlicensed dental staff to start IVs.
"After thorough research, we have determined that neither of the dental assistants involved in the Oklahoma case are DANB-certified, nor have they ever taken any DANB exams," the organization stated in a press release.
Dentists are ultimately responsible for ensuring the practice is in compliance with state law. To assist dentists in their hiring decisions, DANB provides a free online credential verification database to verify the names of dental assistants who have earned DANB national certifications, as well as those who have earned certificates of knowledge-based competency in areas such as radiation health and safety, infection control, coronal polish, sealants, topical anesthetic, and topical fluoride.
DANB provides a number of services to assist in public protection, including offering national certifications and exams for dental assistants, such as DANB's certified dental assistant, certified orthodontic assistant, and certified preventive functions dental assistant certifications.
While each state determines its own education, exam, and credentialing requirements for dental assistants, DANB is available to assist state agencies in meeting their public protection missions. Currently, 38 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Air Force recognize or require DANB exams.
