How to Become a Dental Assistant in South Dakota

In South Dakota, dental assistants don’t need specific education or diplomas, unless they want to have expanded duties.

These are the dental assistants with expanded duties:

• Advanced Dental Assistant
• Administration of nitrous oxide
• Monitoring anesthetic or analgesic agents
• Administration of an intravenous line
• Radiology and x-rays

Being able to perform expanded duties means a higher salary.

Regional Salary in South Dakota

Becoming a Dental Assistant

There are 2 minimum requirements that future assistants must meet:

• have a high school diploma
• be at last 18 years old

These professionals can only perform minor procedures on patients.

They aren’t allowed to perform the following procedures:

• Cutting either soft or hard tissue
• Procedures that prevent the making of a dental prosthesis
• Injections
• Other irreversible procedures

Advanced Dental Assistants

These professionals can perform more duties while being supervised by a dentist.

Some of the duties are:

• Any of the duties assigned to a dental assistant
• Administrating nitrous oxide
• Applying anesthetics or analgesics

Those who want to become an Advanced Dental Assistant need to first obtain a CPR certification.

Additionally, the candidate has to complete one of the following:

1. Complete an accredited dental assisting training program
2. Pass the CDA exam
3. Have a similar credential obtained in a different state

Once the requirements are met, the candidates need to apply for the CDA certification through the South Dakota State Board of Dentistry.

The next documents are also needed along with the application:

• The application fee – $40
• High school diploma or GED -copies
• CPR certification – copy

To be accepted, the CPR certification can only be issued by

• American Heart Association‘s CPR for the Healthcare Provider
• American Red Cross‘s CPR for the Professional Rescuer

Nitrous Oxide Administration

CDAs can administer Nitrous Oxide if they have the appropriate certification.

The requirements for this certification are:

• Complete the approved nitrous oxide application course
• Current CPR certification -copy
• Application fee -$40
• Attach the fill-out application

Anesthetic or Analgesic Agents Monitoring Certification

To monitor patients while they are anesthetized or under the effect of nitrous oxide, CDAs need a specific certification.

The requirements for this qualification are:

• Current CPR certification
• Complete specific anesthesia assisting training program of at least 8 hours
• Fill out the application

Those who gain this certification will also meet one of the requirements for being allowed to establish an intravenous line.

Intravenous Line Administration

The CDAs who want to start an intravenous line in patients need to be qualified.

Qualification is obtained by attending a training program in anesthesia assisting and intravenous lines.

Radiography Requirements

Candidates have a few ways in which they can earn the diploma allowing them to take X-rays.

1. Complete an approved radiological seminar course that covers these topics:

• Placement and exposure of X-rays
• Fundamentals of radiation safety
• Familiarization with x-ray and radiological equipment
• Film processing
• Oral cavity anatomy and radiological positioning
• Federal and state regulations

2. Earning a Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential from the Dental Assisting National Board

3. Obtain a credential from a different state where the standards are similar to those of South Dakota

Once a candidate is sure they met one of the requirements, they can fill out an application, attach all the needed documents and send it to the Board in South Dakota.

Schools Offering Dental Assisting Programs in South Dakota

Maintaining Dental Assistant Qualifications

The registration as an Advanced Dental Assistant expires every year on July 1st.

To renew it, holders need to prove their CPR certification is current and then pay the renewal fee of $20.

However, every 5 years, these assistants must also accumulate a minimum of 60 hours of continuing education.

The requirement can be met in the following way:

• Attending regional, state, or national meetings – 5 hours
• One hour for each lecture hour attended at dental meetings
• CPR class time counts as continuing education

There is a maximum amount of continuing education for each subject, during the 5-year cycle:

• Nutrition: 15 hours
• Practice management: 10 hours
• Home course study: 30 hours
• CPR classes: 15 hours

The certification for taking X-rays, still on July 1st, every year.

These professionals have also need to continue their education every 5 years.

They need to earn a minimum of 5 hours, as follows:

• Anatomy and positioning
• Radiographic quality control
• Recognition and identification of radiographic information
• Radiation safety
• Equipment operation
• Film processing
• Emergency procedures

Dental Assisting by City

Dental Assisting by State