Air Force dental assistants take DANB's Infection Control exam

CHICAGO--The Dental Assisting National Board and the Air Force Dental Service are underway in their collaboration on the administration of DANB's Infection Control exam.

DANB's contract with the AFDS went into effect at the end of last year, and more than 40 candidates in the Air Force dental technical training program have since passed the exam and earned Certificates of Competency in Infection Control.

The exam is administered once a month at Sheppard Air Force base in Texas.

By delivering DANB exams within the AFDS dental technician curriculum, the Air Force gains an independent verification of dental technician knowledge of federal infection control and occupational safety requirements and related national guidelines.

This collaborative relationship also provides AFDS dental technicians with the opportunity to earn national DANB Certificates of Competency.

Earning a DANB Certificate of Competency in Infection Control can lead to a professional Certification--either Certified Dental Assistant or Certified Orthodontic Assistant--for those who pass the required component exams.

In addition, earning a Certificate of Competency in Infection Control and working toward DANB Certification helps military personnel meet civilian dental assisting requirements in a number of states and plan ahead for a smooth transition from military life to a rewarding civilian career.

DANB exams are required or recognized by 38 states as meeting dental assistant requirements. The ICE exam is specifically recognized or required for dental assistants working in Iowa, North Dakota, and New York and as a component of the CDA, and is required or recognized in 29 other states.

Effective Oct. 1, 2009, DANB will also begin to administer the Radiation Health and Safety exam to AFDS students. The RHS exam has been in existence for more than 25 years, and is currently required or recognized as meeting radiology requirements in 31 states.

For more information, go to Dental Assisting National Board.

To read more about DANB, go to Dental Assisting National Board.

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