Registered Dental Assistant X-Ray Certification

Requirements for Texas

The following is an excerpt from the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners website.

A dental assistant may not position or expose dental x-rays unless the dental assistant holds a dental assistant radiology certificate issued by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners.

To be eligible for a certificate under this section, an applicant must have;

  • Paid all application, examination, and licensing fees
  • Have graduated from an accredited high school or hold a certificate of high school equivalency, General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
  • Submit fingerprints for the retrieval of criminal history record information
  • Have successfully completed a current hands-on course in basic life support (BLS), and
  • Have taken and passed a course of instruction and an examination administered by an approved TSBDE provider, or
  • Hold a current certificate from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) and have taken and passed the TSBDE Jurisprudence Assessment within one year from the date the application is submitted.
  • Beginning October 1, 2021, applicants applying for licensure or registration with the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) must complete a course in human trafficking prevention approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and submit proof of completion with their application. This will be in addition to all required documentation that needs to be submitted to the TSBDE. For information on where to find approved courses, please click here.


Online Application Instructions

  • Register for an online account with the TSBD's online licensing system.
  • User ID (email) – use a personal email address (not assigned by college)
  • Receive a temporary password from [email protected]
  • Log-in with temporary password and choose a permanent password (write down the user id and password)
  • From the Quick Start Menu, Under Start a New Application ⇢ Choose Board → Texas State Board of Dental Examiners → Choose Application →Initial Dental Assistant by Exam from the left hand side of page.
  • Complete the application; submit fees with MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express.
  • Application and payment summaries will be emailed to you along with the required fingerprint information session.

Military Applicants: U.S. Military Active Duty, Veterans, and U.S. Military Active Duty Spouses applying using their military credentials may not apply online. A paper application is required since no application fee is charged. All supplemental documents are required along with a copy of your Military Change of Station Orders, Identification Card or a document showing proof of Honorable or General Discharge.

Application & Supporting Documents must be mailed to TSBDE at 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower 3 Suite 800, Austin, Texas 78701 to complete your registration:

  • Copy of your online application and payment summary receipt. If you applying by using your military credentials, you will need to submit a paper application. Do not apply online, you will only further delay your processing time.
  • 1- 2×2 passport photo
  •  Your head must face the camera directly with full face in view
  •  You must have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open.
  •  Use a plain white or off-white background.
  •  Be sized correctly
  • Copy of driver’s license, naturalization papers, or passport.
  • Copy of current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification, must include hands on demonstration of skills.
  • Proof of successful completion of a TSBDE-approved dental assistant registration course. If the RDA course/exam was taken over a year from the date of submitting your application, you will need to take and successfully pass the Texas Jurisprudence Assessment from the board’s website or a copy of your current DANB CDA Card. If you are submitting a DANB card, please note you are also required to complete the TSBDE Jurisprudence Assessment.
  • Copy of your receipt from IdentoGO
  • National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Self-Query Report. The report results must remain in the original sealed envelope and be attached to your application.  NPDB self-query reports are valid for 60 days. You may contact the NPDB at (800) 767-6732 or at http://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/pract/howToGetStarted.jsp.
  • Proof of the Health and Human Services (HHS) approved Human Trafficking Course completion certificate.


For applicants who have held a license in another state/jurisdiction: A verification of licensure with imprint of state seal issued from the state board of dentistry in which the applicant has ever held a Dental Assistant permit/registration. A copy of the permit or registration is not acceptable.

If you are unable to apply online, you will need to download the RDA application below and have it notarized prior to submitting it to TSBDE along with the required supporting documents above.

Once the completed application has been received, staff will email the instructions on scheduling a fingerprint session with IdentoGO. Once the applicant has completed their fingerprint session, the applicant will need to email a copy of their fingerprint receipt to [email protected] and include their full name and date of birth.