Dental Assistant Training

The Training Roadmap is a new set of resources that are included as a benefit of your CDA membership. The roadmap materials guide you through a 6-week process of recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training and retaining a new dental assistant.

The Online Training Curriculum is a separate in-office option that provides online DA learning alongside on-the-job training. This 12-week learning program is available to members at nominal cost.

Explore each option and decide which works best for your practice. The Training Roadmap materials have been built to complement the Online Training Curriculum.

To access member-exclusive resources, like the Training Roadmap, log into your cda.org account. If you’re not already a member, join CDA today for full access to benefits.

The Online Training Curriculum is a convenient and flexible in-office training option available to all CDA members. Smile Crew Bootcampsare held in select locations throughout California in partnership with local workforce boards and training providers. The Online Training Curriculum was designed and built from the Smile Crew Bootcamps.

A link to the Dental Board-approved training providers for specific certifications is included in the dental assistant training materials. Smile Crew Bootcamp participants receive certifications in partnership with an approved training provider.

Business and Professions Code, Section 1750. (a) A dental assistant is an individual who, without a license, may perform basic supportive dental procedures, as authorized by Section 1750.1 and by regulations adopted by the board, under the supervision of a licensed dentist. “Basic supportive dental procedures” are those procedures that have technically elementary characteristics, are completely reversible, and are unlikely to precipitate potentially hazardous conditions for the patient being treated.

(b) The supervising licensed dentist shall be responsible for determining the competency of the dental assistant to perform the basic supportive dental procedures, as authorized by Section 1750.1.

(c) The employer of a dental assistant shall be responsible for ensuring that the dental assistant who has been in continuous employment for 120 days or more, has already successfully completed, or successfully completes, all the following within a year of the date of employment:

(1) A board-approved course in the Dental Practice Act.

(2) A board-approved 8-hour course in infection control.

(3) A course in basic life support offered by an instructor approved by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association, or any other course approved by the board as equivalent and that provides the student the opportunity to engage in hands-on simulated clinical scenarios.

(d) The employer of a dental assistant shall be responsible for ensuring that the dental assistant maintains certification in basic life support.

(e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2010.

The cost for the Online Training Curriculum is $255. CDA has obtained a licensing agreement to be able to provide the curriculum to members at cost.

Visit SmileCrewCA.com for bootcamp locations and details.

Once activated, each unique license for training allows three years of access to the platform. Once purchased, the Online Training Curriculum is associated with the individual dental assistant trainee. Access to the unique curriculum is not transferable nor refundable once redeemed.

CDA has a license agreement and partnership in place to be able to provide the curriculum at cost to CDA members. The licensing agreement is not available for purchase by individuals.

However, there’s no limit to the number of individual curriculum purchases an employer can purchase for employees. 

For technical support and program inquiries, email our support desk.

Dental Assistant Training Roadmap materials have been developed by CDA Practice Support. For assistance, call a helpful analyst or email Practice Support.