And Does a longer dental assisting program make you more qualified?
If you’re looking into a career in dental assisting, chances are you’ve run into a few acronyms that sound more confusing than helpful: CDA, RDA, DA, and maybe even EDDA. What do they all mean—and do you really need them?
And the big question:
Will going to a longer (and more expensive) dental assisting school get you a better job or higher pay?
Let’s break it all down—A101 style. Real talk. Real facts. No fluff.
💬 First up: What Is a DA?
DA = Dental Assistant
This is the most common starting point in dentistry. Most states don’t require a license to work as a dental assistant. That means you can:
- Be trained by a dentist on the job
- Or complete a short, focused dental assisting program like ours at Assisting 101 (A101)
🎓 You’ll still graduate with a certificate of completion, just like students from longer programs.
✅ Bottom line: Fast. Affordable. Job-ready.
📋 What Is an RDA?
RDA = Registered Dental Assistant
But here’s the thing—only a few states require this. If you live in one of those states, you’ll need to complete a state-approved dental assisting program and register with the dental board.
✅ Bottom line: Only matters if your state requires it. If not, no need to stress about it.
🏅 What Is a CDA?
CDA = Certified Dental Assistant, a national certification through the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). To earn it, you’ll need to:
- Complete a 9–12 month accredited program
- Pass a national exam
- Pay fees for certification and renewals
And here’s the kicker:
Most states don’t require CDA certification.
Most employers don’t pay more for it.
✅ Bottom line: Longer school doesn’t always mean more opportunity. Or more money.
🎯 What Is an EDDA?
EDDA = Expanded Duties Dental Assistant
This is next-level dental assisting. You can assist with more complex procedures like sealants, crowns, and impressions.
At A101, our students can qualify for EDDA in just:
- 3 months of training
- 6 months of dental office experience
- 1-day EDDA certification course
✅ Bottom line: You can be more advanced than a CDA in less time and at half the cost.
🧠 Does a Longer Dental Assisting Program = More Qualified?
Nope. This is one of the biggest myths we hear.
Whether your program is 3 months or 12 months long, you graduate with a certificate of completion.
The length of your schooling has nothing to do with your starting salary or how “qualified” you are.
💡 Dental offices care about what you can do, not how long you went to school. They want assistants who can:
- Take x-rays
- Assist during procedures
- Sterilize instruments
- Talk to patients
- Get the job done, confidently
At A101, we train you in the real skills that dental offices need.
We skip outdated textbook fluff and focus on hands-on, practical training that gets you hired.
Why Assisting 101 (A101)?
- 💻 Online access from day one
- 🦷 In-person, hands-on training every week
- 🧠 Built on cognitive science and real learning principles
- 💼 Focused on what actually gets you hired
- 🚀 Prepares you for EDDA in months—not years
- 💰 A fraction of the cost of long college programs
🎓 Final Thoughts
Whether it’s DA, RDA, CDA, or EDDA, here’s the truth:
You don’t need a longer or more expensive program to succeed.
You need one that teaches you how to do the job—and do it well.
That’s what we do at Assisting 101. Fast-track your dental career, skip the unnecessary debt, and start doing what you love—sooner.
👉 Ready to enroll? Click here to sign up
Got questions? Text or call us—we’ve got your back.