Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements
Graduate of Board Approved Program
1 Examination
Experience Requirement Satisfied Through Completion of Program
3 Hours of Continuing Education
$110.00 Initial Fee
$31.00 Renewal Fee
Healthcare professional who performs functions under the supervision of a licensed dentist, such as coronal polishing, placing and condensing amalgam restoration and other restorative materials, fluoride treatments, including fluoride varnish, placing and removing rubber dams among other functions.
Degree Requirement:
Graduate of Board Approved Program - Applicant must complete one of the following: (i) Graduation from a Board-approved Dental Assistant program at a 2 year college or other institution accredited or provisionally accredited by an accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education Council on Postsecondary Accreditation which offers an Associate Degree. (ii) Graduation from a dental hygiene school which required the successful completion of at least 75 hours of clinical and didactic instruction in restorative functions accredited or provisionally accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. (iii) Completion of a Board-approved EFDA program, which offers a certificate or diploma, consisting of at least 200 hours of clinical and didactic instruction from a dental assisting program accredited by one of the following: (a)The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. (b) An accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education Council on Postsecondary Accreditation whose expanded function educational standards are approved by the Board.
Examination Requirement:
1 Examination - Candidates for certification as an Expanded Function Dental Assistants shall pass a written examination acceptable to the Board.
Experience:
Experience requirement satisfied through completion of program.
Continuing Education:
3 Hours (for initial licensure)
Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure.
10 Hours (when renewing license)
10 hours of continuing education is required for biennial renewal of license. Of those 10 hours, 2 hours must be Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting.
Initial Licensing Fee:
$110.00
Licensure Renewal Fee:
$31.00 Biennial Renewal of license.
Licensure by Credentials & Licensure by Act 41:
Dentists, dental hygienists, and expanded function dental assistants who are currently licensed or certified in another state or territory or in Canada may be granted licensure or certification in Pennsylvania if the credentials submitted meet the state requirements. Licensure and certification by criteria approval will be granted only to applicants whose licensing boards confirm that they reciprocate with the Commonwealth. An applicant shall cause the licensing authority of each state where the applicant has practiced to submit to the Board a letter of good standing and the scope of practice of expanded function dental assistants in that state to determine equivalency.
Act 41 allows for portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 does this by granting all boards and commissions within the Commonwealth the authority to endorse licensees from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing and without discipline against their license or criminal conviction.