California Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Written Exam Exam Guide
At a glance
- Exam fee
- $46.59
- Governing body
- Dental Board of California
The California Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) Written Exam is the licensing test administered by the Dental Board of California for dental assistants who want to perform expanded duties like coronal polishing, pit-and-fissure sealants, and dental radiography under a dentist's supervision. Candidates reach it either through an approved RDA training program or a supervised work-experience pathway, then apply to the Board before scheduling a test date.
Overview
The written exam is administered as a single test — the RDA General and Law and Ethics Written Exam — rather than two separate sittings, so General and Law and Ethics content are assessed together in one session. Content is organized into four domains, weighted as follows:
- Dental Procedures — 50% of the exam
- Infection Control and Health and Safety — 25% of the exam
- Assessment and Diagnostic Records — 15% of the exam
- Laws and Regulations — 10% of the exam
Cost and registration
The RDA written exam fee is $46.59. Before you can schedule it, you must also pay a separate, nonrefundable $120 license application fee to the Dental Board of California. Other costs, such as renewal fees, are listed in the Board's official fee schedule.
Exam format
The Dental Board of California's public exam outline does not list an exact question count, time limit, or passing score for this page's sources, so confirm those specifics in the current Candidate Handbook before test day. What is documented is the domain weighting above, which should guide how you allocate study time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the California RDA written exam cost?
The RDA General and Law and Ethics Written Exam fee is $46.59, paid when you schedule your test.
Is there an application fee on top of the written exam fee?
Yes. You pay a nonrefundable $120 license application fee to the Dental Board of California before you can schedule the written exam, separate from the exam fee itself.
What happens if I fail the exam or miss my scheduled test date?
You can contact the testing vendor, PSI, to reschedule, and rescheduling typically takes about 7 to 10 business days to process.
How long is my application valid before I have to sit for the exam?
Your application is considered abandoned if you don't take the licensing exam within two years of the date the Dental Board of California received it, so plan to test within that window.
What coursework do I need to complete before I can apply?
Required coursework includes 8 hours of Infection Control and 32 hours of Radiation Safety, alongside other Dental Board of California-approved course hours listed in the application requirements.
Can I qualify to test through work experience instead of a formal training program?
Yes. California offers a work-experience pathway requiring at least 15 months and a minimum of 1,280 hours of qualifying dental assistant work experience in place of a formal program.
Sources
- 1.Registered Dental Assistant Applicants - Dental Board of California — Dental Board of California (accessed Aug 9, 2026)
- 2.Examination Fees Raised for Dentistry Law and Ethics Examination and RDA General and Law and Ethics Examination - Dental Board of California — Dental Board of California (accessed Aug 9, 2026)
- 3.About the NCLEX — NCSBN
- 4.NCLEX Statistics & Publications — NCSBN
- 5.NCLEX Scheduling (Pearson VUE) — Pearson VUE
Official sources
Every exam fact on this page traces to a primary document published by the body that administers the exam.
- Registered Dental Assistant Applicants - Dental Board of CaliforniaDental Board of Californiadbc.ca.gov
- Registered Dental Assistant Combined Written and Law and Ethics Examination Outline (2023) - Dental Board of CaliforniaDental Board of Californiadbc.ca.gov
- Renewal Information - Registered Dental Assistants, Registered Dental Assistants in Extended Functions, Orthodontic Assistants, and Dental Sedation Assistants - Dental Board of CaliforniaDental Board of Californiadbc.ca.gov
- Examination Fees Raised for Dentistry Law and Ethics Examination and RDA General and Law and Ethics Examination - Dental Board of CaliforniaDental Board of Californiadbc.ca.gov
Last verified against the official exam content outline: