Dental Assistant in Illinois

Illinois requires dental assistants to complete the required education (No statewide education requirements for basic dental assisting duties. Specific board-approved courses are required for expanded functions like coronal polishing, sealant placement, and monitoring nitrous oxide. For these expanded functions, dental assistants must also be at least 18 years old and have 1000 hours of clinical dental assisting experience OR have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental assisting program OR be a DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA).), and pass the No state exam for basic dental assisting. DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam or an approved course is required for performing x-rays. Specific course examinations are required for expanded functions..

No state license is needed to work as a dental assistant in Illinois. Note: Illinois does not license dental assistants for basic duties. To perform expanded functions such as coronal polishing, applying pit and fissure sealants, or monitoring nitrous oxide, dental assistants must meet specific age, experience/education, and training requirements. For monitoring nitrous oxide, minimal sedation, moderate sedation, deep sedation, or general anesthesia, dental assistants must maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for healthcare providers. All intraoral procedures performed by a dental assistant must be examined by the supervising dentist prior to patient dismissal.

In Illinois, the median pay for dental assistants comes to $47,430/year. That's roughly in line with the $47,300 national median. The range spans from $33,510 at the entry level to $58,620 for top earners.

Expect to spend Varies depending on expanded functions pursued. from start to finish in Illinois — covering coursework, supervised experience, and examination.