Requirements
Continuing Education for Dental Assistants: Why It Matters in Colorado
Colorado doesn't license dental assistants, so is continuing education required? What DANB expects, which courses actually raise your pay, and how new assistants should start.
The word "continuing education" can sound like paperwork. For dental assistants it's also the main way to earn more, take on more interesting work and stay employable if you move. Here's how it works in Colorado.
Is it required?
By the state: not directly. Colorado doesn't license dental assistants, so there's no state license to renew and no state CE count to meet. The Colorado Dental Board regulates tasks. Some tasks, radiography most famously, require specific training before you perform them. Colorado's requirements.
By DANB: yes, if you're certified. If you hold a DANB certification such as the CDA, DANB requires renewal every year. Renewal involves earning continuing education credits, keeping a current CPR certificate (for most DANB certifications), and paying a fee. DANB may audit, so keep your certificates.
By your employer: often. Many offices require current CPR/BLS and expect ongoing infection control training.
Why do it anyway?
It's how "expanded" happens. In Colorado, an assistant's role grows when two things line up: what the rules allow and what the dentist trusts you to do. CE supplies the training and paperwork that make that possible. How EDDA works in Colorado.
It's leverage for a raise. "I finished a course and I can now take over X, which frees up the dentist for Y" is a much stronger pitch than "I've been here a year." The highest-paying assistant roles nearly always involve extra training.
It keeps you current. Materials, digital imaging, scanners and infection control guidance change. Assistants who keep learning adapt faster to a new office.
It keeps your options open. If you move out of Colorado, other states may require specific credentials. DANB certifications and documented training travel much better than "my old dentist said I could."
Where to start as a new assistant
In your first year, in roughly this order:
- Radiography. If your training didn't qualify you for x-rays, fix that first. It's the most valuable single qualification.
- CPR/BLS. Keep it current. It's needed for DANB and expected by most offices.
- Infection control. Worth deepening, and it's the content of DANB's ICE exam.
- DANB exams. RHS and ICE make up much of the CDA. Earning them one at a time builds a portable credential. DANB in Colorado explained.
After that, pick courses tied to what your office wants to delegate. Common ones are coronal polishing, sealants, orthodontic procedures if you're heading toward ortho, and restorative functions.
Get good value from CE
- Ask your employer to pay. Many offices cover CE, especially when it lets them delegate more. Ask before paying yourself.
- Check the rules first. Before paying for any course sold as a "Colorado certification," read the current Dental Board rules and ask the provider which rule the course satisfies. Colorado doesn't issue assistant permits, so be skeptical of that wording.
- Keep a folder. Certificates, dates, hours, and a note signed by your dentist for each skill you're cleared to perform. It will help your next job search more than your resume.
Not trained yet?
The first step is a program that gets you x-ray qualified with plenty of hands-on hours. Compare Colorado programs or take the program match quiz.
Checked September 30, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the Colorado Dental Board and DANB.
FAQ
Do dental assistants need continuing education in Colorado?
The state doesn't license dental assistants, so there's no state license to renew. If you hold a DANB certification, DANB requires you to renew every year, which includes continuing education and a current CPR certificate.
What continuing education should a new dental assistant take?
Start with the basics that make you more useful: radiography if you aren't yet qualified, infection control, and CPR/BLS. Then add skills your office wants to delegate, such as coronal polishing, sealants or other expanded functions the rules allow.
Does continuing education increase dental assistant pay?
Indirectly. A course by itself rarely triggers a raise, but new skills that let the dentist delegate more work make a strong case for one.