4 answers
Celia
Student
Athens, Greece
1
Question
Asked
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Can I work as a dental assistant in Seattle ?
I am a dentist in Greece and due to personal reasons I am going to emigrate in Seattle. I have been working as a dentist for 3 years now. Do I have to take any certification first?
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4 answers
Kim Case
Dental Hygienist
2
Answers
Enumclaw, Washington
Updated
Kim’s Answer
At one point DAs in WA state didn't need licensure, but not sure that's still the case. I can easily find out.
My initial research states you can, yiu just have to register with the state, but I will get you a more solid answer soon.
My initial research states you can, yiu just have to register with the state, but I will get you a more solid answer soon.
Conrad Ostwald
Internal Audit
9
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Conrad’s Answer
If you are a dentist in Greece and plan to practice as a dentist in Seattle, you will likely need to go through a certification process in order to be able to practice in the United States.
The process will vary depending on the state, but in general, you will need to complete the following steps:
Apply for certification: You will need to apply for certification through the appropriate state board in the state where you plan to practice. In this case, it would be the Washington State Department of Health.
Take the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE): You will need to take and pass the NBDE Part I and Part II to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as a dentist.
Take the Clinical Board Examination: Depending on the state, you may also need to take and pass a clinical board examination to demonstrate your practical skills as a dentist.
Meet the state's licensing requirements: You will need to meet the state's licensing requirements, which may include completing a certain number of continuing education hours, passing background checks, and paying licensing fees.
Pass English Proficiency Exam: You will need to pass English proficiency exam to show that you are able to communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals.
It's worth noting that the process of certification and licensure can take several months, or even longer, so it's important to start the process as soon as possible.
Additionally, it's recommended to check with the Washington State Department of Health and American Dental Association (ADA) for more specific information and requirements for dentists in Washington.
The process will vary depending on the state, but in general, you will need to complete the following steps:
Apply for certification: You will need to apply for certification through the appropriate state board in the state where you plan to practice. In this case, it would be the Washington State Department of Health.
Take the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE): You will need to take and pass the NBDE Part I and Part II to demonstrate your knowledge and skills as a dentist.
Take the Clinical Board Examination: Depending on the state, you may also need to take and pass a clinical board examination to demonstrate your practical skills as a dentist.
Meet the state's licensing requirements: You will need to meet the state's licensing requirements, which may include completing a certain number of continuing education hours, passing background checks, and paying licensing fees.
Pass English Proficiency Exam: You will need to pass English proficiency exam to show that you are able to communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals.
It's worth noting that the process of certification and licensure can take several months, or even longer, so it's important to start the process as soon as possible.
Additionally, it's recommended to check with the Washington State Department of Health and American Dental Association (ADA) for more specific information and requirements for dentists in Washington.
Thanks a lot for the details. You helped me a lot. I have one last question. Do you know if it would be possible to work as a dental assistant in the midtime?
Celia
Anthony Ngo
40
Answers
Kirkland, Washington
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
Hello,
Can I work as a dental assistant in Seattle ?
YES! (Even if you are not a dentist from Greece.)
It is relatively easy to be a dental assistant in Washington State. (This is state does not "certify" a dental assistant. It just requires a person who work as a "hand on" dental assistant to register with Washington State Department of Health.) There is no training requirement to register as a dental assistant and there is no requirement for continue education to renew the registration. There was a HIV/Infection Control training requirement, but this was eliminated couple years ago, and your employer is now responsible to provide this training as part of OHSA/WISHA office annual training mandate.
You will find that there are independent training programs for dental assistant. This is only to train the persons who are not familiar with dental operation (not for registering with Washington State. And these programs provide very basic training like taking xray, doing prophy, suction, vital signs...) Some dental offices/dentists will hire and train their own assistants. Some offices prefer to hire dental assistants with some dental operation experience or going through a training program. Again, this is entirely depending on the dental office/clinic.
As a dentist in Greece, you know that there are different specialties in dentistry, such as General Dentist, Periodontist, Endodontist etc.... The more skills you have (I assume that you will since you already gone through dental school) the better chance of gaining employment with a more specialized offices and higher compensation for your skills such as assisting in dental surgery, implant placement, tissue grafting etc...
If you have any question regarding Dental Assistant in Washington State, specifically in the Seattle metropolitan area, feel free to contact me.
Anthony,
P.S. If you want to become a dental hygienist or a dentist, it would be a little more involving with getting all of your credential in order to practice in Washington State.
Can I work as a dental assistant in Seattle ?
YES! (Even if you are not a dentist from Greece.)
It is relatively easy to be a dental assistant in Washington State. (This is state does not "certify" a dental assistant. It just requires a person who work as a "hand on" dental assistant to register with Washington State Department of Health.) There is no training requirement to register as a dental assistant and there is no requirement for continue education to renew the registration. There was a HIV/Infection Control training requirement, but this was eliminated couple years ago, and your employer is now responsible to provide this training as part of OHSA/WISHA office annual training mandate.
You will find that there are independent training programs for dental assistant. This is only to train the persons who are not familiar with dental operation (not for registering with Washington State. And these programs provide very basic training like taking xray, doing prophy, suction, vital signs...) Some dental offices/dentists will hire and train their own assistants. Some offices prefer to hire dental assistants with some dental operation experience or going through a training program. Again, this is entirely depending on the dental office/clinic.
As a dentist in Greece, you know that there are different specialties in dentistry, such as General Dentist, Periodontist, Endodontist etc.... The more skills you have (I assume that you will since you already gone through dental school) the better chance of gaining employment with a more specialized offices and higher compensation for your skills such as assisting in dental surgery, implant placement, tissue grafting etc...
If you have any question regarding Dental Assistant in Washington State, specifically in the Seattle metropolitan area, feel free to contact me.
Anthony,
P.S. If you want to become a dental hygienist or a dentist, it would be a little more involving with getting all of your credential in order to practice in Washington State.
Carla Hinderlie
Talent Acquisition Partner / Recruiter
4
Answers
San Jose, California
Updated
Carla’s Answer
You will still need to go through a process to be registered as a dental assistant in the state of Washington regardless if you are a licensed dentist in Greece. Here is the link for the process: https://www.danb.org/state-requirements/washington-registered-dental-assistant
It’s not difficult to become a registered Dental Assistant in the state of Washington and you can actually start working while you fill out the paper work to get registered. CPR for Health Care Providers certification within the first year and an HIV course is needed. I work in a very busy Seattle practice that is always looking for dental assistants with and without experience . We have trained most of the dental assistants we have employed now. Bilingual is a large plus but hard working and willing to learn new things is even a bigger plus. Feel free to reach out for more info
Monica Askins