Find out how to enter dental assistant programs in Texas with our free guide below. We will cover all the details to get certified and enter a growing healthcare industry in Texas. Dental assisting certification can be earned if you follow the four steps we detail for you below.
Search for Dental Assistant Courses in Texas
What you Need to do to Become a Dental Assistant in Texas
The (TSBDE) Texas State Board of Dental Examiners are in charge of regulation the dental field across the state of Texas and its dental professionals. There are three classes of dental assistant in Texas according to Texas Dental laws. They are the Dental Assistant, the (RDA) Registered Dental Assistant and the Dental Assistant Qualified to Perform Expanded Functions. We will go in to detail about how to go about becoming each of the three level of Texas dental assistant for you below.
Dental Assistant – Basic chairside assisting may be performed without specific training or certification.
(RDA) Registered Dental Assistant – The Texas RDA is a dental assistant that is currently registered with the (TSBDE) Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. All RDAs must have a current CPR certification, hold a (DANB) CDA certification and the Texas Jurisprudence Assessment, completed training for procedures for dental x-rays (positioning and exposure and infection control).
Dental Assistant Qualified to Perform Expanded Functions – A Dental Assistant Qualified to Perform Expanded Functions in Texas must have and also maintain certifications in pit and fissure sealants, nitrous oxide administration monitoring and coronal polishing.
The ability to perform duties like nitrous oxide administration monitoring requires the passing of a Texas Dental Board approved nitrous oxide monitoring training program.
Coronal polishing certification mandates a 2 year work experience as a dental assistant, and completion of a minimum of 8 hours of Texas State Board approved coronal polishing training. Candidates can also pass the DANB Coronal Polish exam and the Texas Jurisprudence Assessment or they can have already graduated from a CODA approved and accredited dental assistant training class and successfully pass the Texas Jurisprudence Assessment.
Pit and fissure sealants certification requires a minimum of 2 years of work as a dental assistant, (BLS) certification and completion of a minimum of 8 hours of Texas State Board approved education in pit and fissure sealants.
CODA Approved Dental Assisting Courses in Texas
Amarillo College
6222 West 9th – 79106 P.O. Box 447 Amarillo 79178
806-356-3616
Del Mar College
101 Baldwin Blvd. Corpus Christi 78404-3897
361-698-2610
Grayson College
6101 Grayson Drive Denison 75020-8299
903-463-8780
El Paso Community College
100 W. Rio Grande Street P.O. Box 20500 El Paso 79998
(915) 831-4048
Medical Education and Training Campus Air Force Dental Assisting Program
ATTN: METC-ID-DEN
3038 William Hardee Road, Bldg 895 Ft. Sam Houston 78234
210-808-2704
Coleman College for Health Sciences, Houston Community College System
1900 Pressler Street Houston 77030
713-718-7350
San Antonio College
1819 N. Main Ave San Antonio 78212-3941
(210) 486-1669
Tyler Junior College
P.O. Box 9020 Tyler 75711
903-510-2693
Dental Assistant Jobs and Pay Outlook in Texas
A 26% growth is in the future for dental assistants across Texas and that is fantastic! See what the pay will be like across the state too below.
| Location | Pay Type | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Hourly | $12.24 | $17.76 | $25.00 |
| Yearly | $25,460 | $36,940 | $52,000 | |
| Texas | Hourly | $11.97 | $16.75 | $23.73 |
| Yearly | $24,910 | $34,840 | $49,370 | |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | Hourly | $14.01 | $20.09 | $25.36 |
| Yearly | $29,140 | $41,780 | $52,740 | |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | Hourly | $12.52 | $18.19 | $24.49 |
| Yearly | $26,050 | $37,830 | $50,940 | |
| Midland, TX | Hourly | $12.71 | $17.56 | $25.83 |
| Yearly | $26,430 | $36,510 | $53,720 | |
| Central Texas | Hourly | $12.09 | $17.34 | $23.19 |
| Yearly | $25,140 | $36,070 | $48,230 | |
| Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX | Hourly | $13.63 | $17.28 | $22.15 |
| Yearly | $28,360 | $35,940 | $46,080 | |
| Eastern Texas | Hourly | $10.84 | $16.96 | $22.91 |
| Yearly | $22,540 | $35,280 | $47,650 | |
| Longview, TX | Hourly | $12.78 | $16.84 | $24.97 |
| Yearly | $26,580 | $35,030 | $51,940 | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | Hourly | $11.46 | $16.80 | $24.38 |
| Yearly | $23,830 | $34,940 | $50,710 | |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | Hourly | $12.45 | $16.77 | $23.19 |
| Yearly | $25,900 | $34,880 | $48,230 | |
| Amarillo, TX | Hourly | $12.80 | $16.68 | $23.05 |
| Yearly | $26,620 | $34,690 | $47,940 | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | Hourly | $12.69 | $16.62 | $24.25 |
| Yearly | $26,400 | $34,570 | $50,440 | |
| Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR | Hourly | $11.64 | $16.62 | $19.00 |
| Yearly | $24,200 | $34,580 | $39,520 | |
| Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division | Hourly | $11.39 | $16.56 | $23.69 |
| Yearly | $23,690 | $34,450 | $49,270 | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | Hourly | $10.87 | $16.48 | $22.43 |
| Yearly | $22,610 | $34,280 | $46,660 | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | Hourly | $12.68 | $16.35 | $21.81 |
| Yearly | $26,380 | $34,010 | $45,360 | |
| Gulf Coast Texas | Hourly | $11.02 | $16.16 | $19.82 |
| Yearly | $22,930 | $33,610 | $41,220 | |
| Abilene, TX | Hourly | $11.99 | $16.05 | $19.48 |
| Yearly | $24,940 | $33,390 | $40,530 | |
| Lubbock, TX | Hourly | $10.95 | $15.82 | $22.93 |
| Yearly | $22,780 | $32,900 | $47,700 | |
| Tyler, TX | Hourly | $12.07 | $15.69 | $21.80 |
| Yearly | $25,100 | $32,630 | $45,340 | |
| Odessa, TX | Hourly | $12.54 | $15.29 | $21.96 |
| Yearly | $26,090 | $31,800 | $45,680 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | Hourly | $10.82 | $15.20 | $21.62 |
| Yearly | $22,500 | $31,610 | $44,980 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | Hourly | $9.46 | $15.09 | $19.91 |
| Yearly | $19,680 | $31,390 | $41,410 | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | Hourly | $11.80 | $15.04 | $22.65 |
| Yearly | $24,540 | $31,290 | $47,120 | |
| Waco, TX | Hourly | $12.74 | $14.96 | $18.63 |
| Yearly | $26,510 | $31,120 | $38,750 | |
| Victoria, TX | Hourly | $10.86 | $14.90 | $19.48 |
| Yearly | $22,590 | $30,990 | $40,510 | |
| San Angelo, TX | Hourly | $11.04 | $14.89 | $18.88 |
| Yearly | $22,960 | $30,960 | $39,270 | |
| Laredo, TX | Hourly | $12.24 | $14.51 | $20.93 |
| Yearly | $25,460 | $30,180 | $43,530 | |
| Northwestern Texas | Hourly | $11.58 | $14.50 | $25.99 |
| Yearly | $24,090 | $30,160 | $54,060 | |
| Southern Texas | Hourly | $8.91 | $13.70 | $17.30 |
| Yearly | $18,540 | $28,510 | $35,990 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | Hourly | $9.43 | $13.34 | $22.52 |
| Yearly | $19,610 | $27,740 | $46,830 | |
| El Paso, TX | Hourly | $9.95 | $13.14 | $18.83 |
| Yearly | $20,700 | $27,320 | $39,160 | |
| North Central Texas | Hourly | $10.19 | $13.09 | $20.93 |
| Yearly | $21,190 | $27,230 | $43,530 |