Dental practices around the country are struggling with staffing issues, which presents dental assistants with an opportunity to become even more valuable members of the team. Dental assistants whose skill set includes radiography can help the practice run more efficiently because they can streamline the dentist’s and hygienist’s workflow. Dental assistants certified to perform radiography derive more satisfaction from their work and are in demand by dental practices.
Why is radiography important?
A properly exposed X-ray of teeth allows the dentist to assess the integrity of the teeth and roots and the overall oral health of a patient. Taking an X-ray is different from taking a photograph. Skill is required to properly position the X-ray camera for the best exposure and protect the patients and yourself from radiation risks. Florida requires dental assistants to become certified to take radiographs. Fortunately, the Florida Dental Association (FDA) has MyDentalRadiography, an online radiography training program that prepares dental assistants to be certified.
What’s involved in training?
The online training is accessible from any device that connects to the Web and is available 24/7. The training consists of nine modules, each with a quiz to check your learning. A final exam consisting of 80 questions must be passed with a score of at least 80%. You can take it as often as necessary to pass. Then, you’ll complete a full-mouth exposure, including four bite-wings, in five or fewer attempts under the dentist’s supervision. Once the supervising dentist has signed off on the radiographs, a certificate is issued, and the student can apply to the state for radiography certification.
How to get started
Talk to your employer about becoming certified to perform radiography through MyDentalRadiography.com/FDA. Here are some facts you’ll need for your talk.
- It costs $285 if your employer is a member of the FDA. It’s $385 otherwise.
- The supervising dentist (your employer) must begin by creating an account at mydentalradiography.com/fda.
- The supervising dentist then completes a brief online tutorial explaining their responsibilities and obtains a supervising dentist ID number.
- Then, the supervising dentist can purchase a voucher for your training.
- You’ll receive a system-generated email notification that you can create your account and begin your coursework. You’ll need your supervising dentist’s ID number to create your account.
The training platform keeps track of your progress for you. Each time you log in, you will pick up your training where you signed out.
Get started now
Talk to your dentist today about becoming certified in radiography quickly, safely, affordable and conveniently by taking the FDA’s MyDentalRadiography training course. If you or your dentist need more information, visit the Continuing Education section at FloridaDental.org, or call the FDA at 850.681.3629.
Beyond the Bite 