when can I take the state board exam - CADA ohio

The Dental Assistant State Board Exam

The state board exam to become a dental assistant is optional. That’s right! Less than 50% of dental assistants in the state of Ohio are state board certified. You can work and be employed as a dental assistant without being certified. There are different types of certifications you can take at the national or state level, and both are completely different from each other. We want to give you our recommendations of when to expect to take the state board exam and how to go about doing so.

CODA (Commission of Ohio Dental Assistant Certification)

The CODA is the Commission of Ohio Dental Assistant Certification. It is offered twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall. It is a full day of testing on a Saturday or Sunday (they will assign you). There are 3 parts to the exam; radiology, clinical skills, and a written portion. You have to apply/sign up to take the exam 4+ months in advance to secure your spot. The exam fills up very quickly. The exam is $65 to take, and if you happen to fail one portion, you retake just that part for $25.

Preparation for the CODA Exam

We do our absolute best to prepare the students on taking their exams. We have two instructors that have taken the exam and help students feel confident when applying to take it. We base our final exam off of the clinical portion of the state boards to also help. We have an open-door policy, meaning we allow students to come back to practice specific clinical skills so they feel ready to go. The book that was provided in class has an online portion that is a huge help with the written portion. There are a mock dental assisting board exam practice and lots of interactive tools available. We encourage doing as many of these as possible. 

DANB (Dental Assisting National Board) Exam

The DANB or the Dental Assisting National Board exam is good for those that may want to move out of state. This certification is recognized nationally, meaning it can transfer from state to state. This is a big advantage when deciding which exam is best for you. In the state of Ohio, there is no advantage to having the DANBE over the CODA. Both allow you to take additional courses to do more chairside. These courses include dental sealants, coronal polishing, and more. This exam costs $425 to take, so it is more of an investment.

Take the Dental Assisting Board Exam!

We highly encourage all of our dental assisting students to take the state board exam to allow for growth in the dental field. Be sure to visit CODA’s website for information on their dress code, exam content, application, and more. http://www.codacertification.org/

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2022-04-30
This class has been great. The instructors are amazing and Allison is always responsive if you have any questions or concerns. Jerika gave the best lectures, and made studying for the finals fun.
Lourdes R
Lourdes R
2022-04-30
Helps you understand things well & makes lab time fun
katherine konopka
katherine konopka
2022-01-02
The instructors from dental reflections are amazing ! Allison gets you ready for your next step in life
Jaren Kay
Jaren Kay
2021-12-30
Such a great school to learn the basics of dental assisting all the instructors are super helpful and will go out of their way for you. I would def recommend it to anyone who wants to be a dental assistant.
Rene H
Rene H
2021-01-28
I’m so glad I found this program! The small class size made it easier for me to focus and get the one on one help and attention I needed to learn as much as I could! Allison and all of the instructors did everything they could to make sure we would succeed in the field and find jobs. Even after graduation I know I can turn to Allison for questions or advice. If you’re looking for a dental assisting program I couldn’t recommend this one enough!!
Bailey Thomas
Bailey Thomas
2020-05-20
This program is one of the best dental assisting programs in the area! Chassiti and Allison do an amazing job teaching this course and providing all the necessary learning that is needed to be an outstanding dental assistant. They go above and beyond and are always willing to help out, even months after you finish the course. The program is reasonably priced, there is a lot of one-on-one and hands-on experience with the instructors. Small class sizes allow you to really succeed and get any questions answered. I would definitely recommend anyone thinking about doing this program to do it! 10/10!!
Raina Shaw
Raina Shaw
2019-12-14
Going to this program was the best decision I’ve ever made!! The instructors are so awesome and fun to work with and they program is really easy to fit in a schedule. I cannot wait to start my career path all thanks to this program and the lovely instructors.