{"id":20832,"date":"2016-02-03T17:56:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T17:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy?page_id=20832"},"modified":"2026-03-14T15:01:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T20:01:23","slug":"cda-practice-test","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/cda-practice-test\/","title":{"rendered":"DANB®<\/sup> CDA®<\/sup> Practice Test"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Certified Dental Assistant Exam is a content-driven test designed to measure a candidate\u2019s command of the skills and knowledge in all aspects of dental assisting. The test leads to a certification that is required by many employers and, where it is not required, helps an applicant stand out.<\/p>\n

Click \u201cStart Test\u201d above to take a free CDA\u00ae<\/sup> practice test!<\/p>\n

CDA Online Course<\/a>
\nCDA Study Guide<\/a>
\nCDA Flashcards<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span> Eligibility<\/h2>\n

There are three paths you can take to be eligible for the CDA exam.<\/p>\n

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  1. You have graduated from a CODA (Commission on Dental Accreditation) accredited dental assisting or dental hygiene program and you have a current CPR certification from a DANB-accepted provider.<\/li>\n
  2. You have a high school diploma (or equivalent), a minimum of 3,500 hours of relevant work experience, and a current CPR certification from a DANB-accepted provider.<\/li>\n
  3. You were formerly certified through DANB OR you graduated from a CODA-accredited Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program or a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) program OR you graduated from a similar degree program outside the US\/Canada. You also need a current CPR certification from a DANB-accepted provider.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/span>CDA Exam Outline<\/h2>\n

    The DANB CDA exam is comprised of the General Chairside Assisting (GC), Infection Control (ICE\u00ae<\/sup>), and Radiation Health and Safety (RHS\u00ae<\/sup>) exams taken together. To gain CDA certification, you will need to pass all three exams.<\/p>\n

    All of the questions are multiple-choice, and the combined total number of questions is 245. The overall time limit for the exam is 195 minutes.<\/p>\n

    The CDA is computer-adaptive<\/a>, which means the computer identifies your strengths and weaknesses and selects questions to fit you personally.<\/p>\n

    \"Infographic<\/a><\/p>\n

    <\/span>General Chairside Assisting (95 questions)<\/h3>\n

    You will have 75 minutes to complete the 95 multiple-choice questions on this exam. Here is a look at the topics the GC exam covers:<\/p>\n

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    1. Evaluation (17%)<\/li>\n
    2. Patient Management and Administration (17%)<\/li>\n
    3. Chairside Dentistry (50%)<\/li>\n
    4. Dental Materials (16%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/span>Infection Control (75 questions)<\/h3>\n

      You will have 1 hour to complete the 75 multiple-choice questions on this exam. Here is a look at the topics the ICE exam covers:<\/p>\n

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      1. Prevention of Disease Transmission (20%)<\/li>\n
      2. Prevention of Cross-contamination (34%)<\/li>\n
      3. Process Instruments and Devices (26%)<\/li>\n
      4. Occupational Safety and Administration Protocols (20%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        <\/span>Radiation Health and Safety (75 questions)<\/h3>\n

        You will have 1 hour to complete the multiple-choice questions on this exam. Here is a look at the topics the RHS exam covers:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Purpose and Technique (50%)<\/li>\n
        2. Radiation Safety (25%)<\/li>\n
        3. Infection Prevention and Control (25%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\t\t\t
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          Check Out Mometrix's CDA Study Guide<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

          Get practice questions, video tutorials, and detailed study lessons<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tGet Your Study Guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n

          <\/span>How Computer-Adaptive Testing Works<\/h2>\n

          Because the CDA exam is computer-adaptive, the difficulty of the exams may increase or decrease as you go on, depending on your performance.<\/p>\n

          Here\u2019s a look at how it works:<\/p>\n

          \"A<\/p>\n

          The first question is judged to be of medium difficulty, and depending on your performance, the next question may be easier or harder. If you do well on the first question, the second question will be harder; conversely, if you do poorly on the first question, the second question will be easy.<\/p>\n

          Of course, the algorithm for doing well or poorly is a little imprecise, but suffice it to say that the fewer questions you miss, the more likely you are to get more difficult questions.<\/p>\n

          <\/span> Registration<\/h2>\n

          Before you can fully register to take the exam, you will need to send DANB all of the necessary documents outlined in the Eligibility<\/a> section above. You will also need to send a $75 application fee. The best way to send your application is online.<\/p>\n

          Once your application has been approved, you will receive an email with an authorization to test. Once this authorization is received, you have 60 days to send the $450 exam fee and take the exam.<\/p>\n

          <\/span>Test Day<\/h2>\n

          There are two methods available for testing: in-person or remote.<\/p>\n

          <\/span>In-person Testing<\/h3>\n

          You should arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment so that you can check in. For checking in, be prepared to present a valid photo ID with the same name that you used to register for the exam.<\/p>\n

          All three components will be administered via computer, and all the materials that you will need for the test will be provided for you, including scratch paper.<\/p>\n

          <\/span>Remote Testing<\/h3>\n

          You should plan to begin the check-in process 15-30 minutes before the scheduled exam time. The check-in process involves running a system test, signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), and providing the proctor with your phone number in case they need to contact you. You will also be asked to provide a valid photo ID with a name that matches the name you registered with. Lastly, you will be asked to take photos of your room to ensure no prohibited items are present.<\/p>\n

          <\/span>How the Test is Scored<\/h2>\n

          In order to pass the DANB CDA, you’ll need to score a minimum of 400 on each test.<\/p>\n

          Your final scores will be posted on your DANB account and will be mailed to you within 2-4 weeks after completing the exam.<\/p>\n
          \n\"20%
          \n<\/a>\n

          <\/span>DANB CDA Online Prep Course<\/h2>\n

          If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online DANB CDA prep course<\/strong> designed to give you everything you need to succeed!<\/p>\n

          Here’s what you’ll find in the DANB CDA course:<\/p>\n

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