DANB
The DANB: Can You Pass it?
Technically DANB stands for Dental Assisting National Board, but when most people use the term, they are actually referring to the licensing exam for dental assistants, which is given by the Dental Assisting National Board. This test is what determines if a person will enter into a rewarding and lucrative dental assisting career. Achieving a passing score is the last hurdle that must be overcome before working as an assistant in a dentist's office. Failure to make a passing grade means missing out on the career of your dreams until you can go back and retake the DANB and make an acceptable score.
You should not make the mistake of thinking the test is going to be a walk in the park just because you graduated from dental assisting school and you have hours of experience working in a dentist's office under supervision. Make no mistake; the DANB is no easy task. Every year, thousands of students fail the exam on their first try and are forced to wait and take it again, paying another costly exam fee. On top of that, many people fail to pass the dental assisting exam on their second or third tries. Those facts alone are enough to demonstrate the grave importance of not underestimating the test and making sure you are prepared when you walk in and take the test for the first time.
The good news is that anyone who paid attention in class and is willing to do some diligent study and review in preparation for the DANB should have no trouble passing. The best way to prep for this rigorous test is to get one of the better DANB study guides and to get it long before you plan to take the test. The exam is exhaustive and will cover some material that you have doubtless forgotten under the pressure of studying and making good grades. So a few months or, at a bare minimum, several weeks before the test, get a study guide and start using it an hour or so each night for review. You will learn where your weak areas are, and you will have time to address them instead of trying to cram for the test at the last minute. Nearly everyone who follows this approach will pass the DANB on the first attempt.
DANB Exam: What You Need to Know to Pass
Is the DANB exam coming up in your near future? If so, you are probably wondering what it is like to take the test, what kind of questions are on it, and how to make sure you pass it the first time so that you can get started right away in your career as a dental assistant. In this article we will explain what the test is like, some of the major topics covered, and the best strategy for achieving a passing score on the DANB exam on your first attempt.
The exam is a multiple choice test, which the vast majority of people take on a computer at authorized testing centers all over North America. Some take a written form of the test, but the content and format of both the written and computerized tests are pretty much the same. For security reasons, there are several different versions of the DANB, so the one you take may be slightly different than the one your classmate is taking. There are about 320 questions on the exam, and these fall into three major categories: General Chairside (120 questions), Infection Control (100 questions), and Radiation Health Safety (100 questions).
However, there are a great many subcategories on the test, making the exam quite comprehensive. Some of the subject areas you will be tested on include the following: Chairside Dental Procedures, Prevention and Management of Emergencies, Collection and Recording of Clinical Data, Lab Materials and Procedures, Radiation Safety of Patient, Radiation Safety of Operator, Performing Sterilization Procedures, Office Management Procedures, Environmental Asepsis, and Occupational Safety. Again, these are just some of the subject areas covered; the test is quite exhaustive and rigorous and will require you to be familiar with both standard practices and procedures in the dental office, as well as the classroom material covered in school.
The DANB exam may sound quite intimidating, and, in fact, if you are not thoroughly prepared, it most certainly will be. Thousands of people a year fail this exam and have to put their dreams of assisting in a dentist's office on hold while they prepare to retake the test. Unfortunately, some of these hopefuls will never pass the test and will be unable to embark on their chosen career. The good news, though, is that in almost all cases, failure could have been avoided. Any aspiring dental assistant should be able to pass the DANB exam on their first try. How? By getting and faithfully using a DANB study guide weeks before the test date. Cramming is a recipe for failure, but slow and steady prep work will enable anyone who works hard to pass the test.
Certified Dental Assistant: A Great Career for Today's Economy
Is a Certified Dental Assistant career for you? Well, if you are one of the millions of people who are looking for a lucrative and rewarding career with abundant job opportunities and job security, you should certainly consider becoming a Certified Dental Assistant. There is no denying that we are living in an uncertain economic environment. Many jobs that were considered secure just a few years ago have disappeared, and people who thought they were set for life have found themselves suddenly unemployed. In addition, there are not a whole lot of help wanted ads or job postings these days. It can be frustrating and frightening to be in the market for a job today. However, as a Certified Dental Assistant, you will find that job opportunities are abundant, the career pays well, and the work is enjoyable.
One of the main reasons this career is something more and more people are looking into is that, unlike many jobs, dental assisting is not subject to the usual ups and down of the job market. Dental care is not a luxury. It is always a necessity, and in many cases, people seek dentistry in emergency situations. Like most aspects of health care, dental care is something that cannot be put off. This means that finding job offers in dental assisting is a lot easier than in other careers, and once you have gotten hired, layoffs are not something you will normally have to worry about. Another really great aspect of a Certified Dental Assistant career is that you will not need to go to school for several years in order to qualify for employment. There are many dental assisting programs that require only one year of study. Even better, you can often get financial aid to help you cover the costs of your tuition and books.
Once you have graduated, the last hurdle is passing the certification test in order to qualify as a Certified Dental Assistant. This test is several hours long and consists of hundreds of multiple-choice questions. You will be tested on every aspect of being a dental assistant, and the test is not easy. This is excellent news, however, for anyone thinking of becoming a dental assistant. Because the test is so rigorous, every year thousands of people fail the exam and either have to postpone or miss out entirely on a career as a Certified Dental Assistant. Do not worry, though; there is a strategy for passing the test that almost always results in an acceptable score on the first attempt. That strategy is to get a good study guide for the dental assistant exam well before the test date and spend several hours a week mastering the material a little at a time. Do that, and you will be well ahead of the rest of the pack and on your way to a rewarding career as a Certified Dental Assistant.
Certified Orthodontic Assistant: Passing The Certification Exam
Becoming a Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) is the pinnacle of any orthodontic assistant's career. By earning the coveted title of COA, you will demonstrate that you have thoroughly mastered all the theories, practices, and procedures that orthodontic assistants will encounter in their day-to-day jobs. Your new title says that you are ready for anything, and there is no situation that you are not qualified to handle when it arises. Naturally, any orthodontist is going to be happy to have you on board because you are among the elite of your profession. In addition to commanding higher salaries than non-certified orthodontic assistants, COAs will find that they have their pick of job opportunities. It is not easy to become a Certified Orthodontic Assistant, but doing so is well worth it.
Of course, becoming a COA requires passing the COA exam, which is not easy. This test is comprised of two parts; the first test is Orthodontic Assisting (OA), and the second test is Infection Control (ICE). The OA section of the test consists of 210 questions on collection and recording of data, orthodontic procedures, chairside dental materials, lab materials and procedures, patient education and oral health management, prevention and management of emergencies, office operations, and radiation health safety. You will have two hours and forty-five minutes to complete the OA section. The ICE portion of the test will have 100 questions on patient and dental health care worker education, maintaining aseptic conditions, preventing cross-contamination and transmission, performing sterilization procedures, environment asepsis, and occupational safety. You will have one hour and fifteen minutes to complete the ICE portion. All questions on both test sections are multiple-choice format.
As you can see, this is a very demanding test. You will have only four hours (240 minutes) to complete 310 questions. In other words, you will have about 45 seconds to devote to each question if you are going to answer them all of them. Many aspiring COAs are not up to this challenge and wind up failing the test. Do not worry, though; there is no reason you should fail if you prepare for it in advance. With a good study guide and regular review sessions in the days and weeks before your COA exam, you should be able to master all the material and pass the test on your first try. By not underestimating the exam and preparing for it in advance, you can become a Certified Orthodontic Assistant.