Dental Assistant Requirements in Maine: Registration, X-Ray Rules & Allowed Duties
Maine does not license a general "dental assistant" tier.
Instead, the Dental Practice Act licenses two auxiliary titles: dental radiographer and expanded function dental assistant (EFDA).
A plain, unlicensed dental assistant also exists, working only under the dentist's general delegation-by-custom-and-usage authority.
Radiographer and EFDA license applicants must meet education and examination requirements set by the board.
Both licensed titles practice under a dentist's general supervision, and the EFDA's scope was expanded in 2025 to include exposing and processing radiographs.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Entry-level assistant
Registration
Some levels
Dental radiographer
Credential levels
2
Verified September 2026
Regulated by
Maine Board of Dental Practice
The Short Version
- Registration or licensure
- Maine licenses only two dental auxiliary titles relevant here, dental radiographer and expanded function dental assistant, each requiring its own license application; the statute does not require a plain, unlicensed dental assistant to register.
- Taking x-rays
- A dental radiographer is licensed specifically to practice dental radiography under a dentist's or independent practice dental hygienist's general supervision, and since a 2025 amendment an expanded function dental assistant may also expose and process radiographs under a dentist's general supervision.
- Credential titles the state uses
- Dental radiographer · Expanded function dental assistant
The two licensed dental auxiliary titles Maine defines
Maine's Dental Practice Act defines a "dental auxiliary" as including a dental radiographer, an expanded function dental assistant, a dental hygienist, an independent practice dental hygienist, a public health dental hygienist, a dental therapist, or a denturist.
Of those, two are relevant to dental assisting: a dental radiographer, who holds a valid license as a dental radiographer, and an expanded function dental assistant (EFDA), who holds a valid EFDA license.
The statute does not define or license a plain "dental assistant" title separate from these two.
"Dental radiographer" means a person who holds a valid license as a dental radiographer issued by the board.
Getting licensed as a dental radiographer or expanded function dental assistant
Maine licenses two specific dental auxiliary titles rather than a general dental assistant credential.
A dental radiographer license applicant must verify a high school diploma or its equivalent and passing a board-required exam in dental radiologic technique and safety.
An expanded function dental assistant license applicant must verify a high school diploma, one of a board-approved certified dental assistant certificate or an active dental hygiene license (Maine or elsewhere), completion of board-required training, and passing all board-required examinations.
B. Verification of one of the following: (1) A current certificate as a certified dental assistant from a board-approved certificate program; (2) An active dental hygiene license in good standing issued under the laws of this State; or (3) An active dental hygiene license in good standing issued under the laws of another state, a United States territory, a foreign nation or a foreign administrative division that issues licenses in the dental professions;
What direct and general supervision mean here
The statute defines direct supervision as requiring the supervisor's physical presence in the practice setting while the task is performed, with the supervisor first identifying or diagnosing the condition and authorizing the treatment.
General supervision does not require the supervisor's physical presence during the procedure but does require the task to be performed with the supervisor's prior knowledge and consent.
Both the dental radiographer and the expanded function dental assistant practice under general supervision, not direct supervision.
"General supervision" means the supervision of those tasks and procedures that do not require the physical presence of the supervisor in the practice setting while procedures are being performed but do require the tasks and procedures to be performed with the prior knowledge and consent of the supervisor.
What a dental assistant and an expanded function dental assistant may do
The statute does not itemize duties for a plain, unlicensed dental assistant.
A dentist may instead delegate to an unlicensed or licensed person any activity that is delegated by custom and usage, as long as it stays under the dentist's supervision or control, and the dentist remains legally liable for what that person does.
An expanded function dental assistant instead has an itemized list: under a dentist's general supervision, an EFDA may perform everything delegable to an unlicensed person plus specific listed tasks, including applying cavity liners, bases, sealants, desensitizing agents and topical fluorides; placing and contouring restorative materials; placing and removing gingival retraction cord; sizing, placing and cementing orthodontic bands and brackets; supragingival polishing; contouring or finishing restorative materials with a high-speed handpiece; and exposing and processing radiographs.
An expanded function dental assistant may perform under the general supervision of a dentist all of the activities that may be delegated by a dentist to an unlicensed person pursuant to section 18371, subsection 3.
Taking x-rays
Radiography sits inside Maine's two licensed titles rather than a separate x-ray permit for assistants generally.
A dental radiographer may practice dental radiography under the general supervision of a dentist or an independent practice dental hygienist.
Since a 2025 amendment, an expanded function dental assistant may also expose and process radiographs, likewise under a dentist's general supervision.
The statute does not describe radiography authority for an assistant who holds neither license.
A licensed dental radiographer may practice dental radiography under the general supervision of a dentist or an independent practice dental hygienist.
Procedures an expanded function dental assistant may not perform
Section 18373 lists procedures an expanded function dental assistant may not perform: complete or limited examination, diagnosis or treatment planning; surgical or cutting procedures of hard or soft tissue; prescribing drugs, medicaments or work authorizations; pulp capping, pulpotomy or other endodontic procedures; placement and intraoral adjustment of fixed or removable prosthetic appliances; and administering local anesthesia, parenteral or inhalation sedation, or general anesthesia.
F. Administration of local anesthesia, parenteral or inhalation sedation or general anesthesia.
Continuing education for renewal
As a condition of license renewal, an applicant must hold a current basic life support certification and complete continuing education during the licensing cycle before applying to renew.
The board may set the content and types of continuing education that satisfy this requirement by rule.
The extracted text does not print a specific hour count.
As a condition of renewal of a license to practice, an applicant must have a current basic life support certification and complete continuing education during the licensing cycle prior to application for renewal. The board may prescribe by rule the content and types of continuing education activities that meet the requirements of this section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be licensed to work as a dental assistant in Maine?
Maine does not license a general dental assistant title.
It licenses two specific auxiliary roles: dental radiographer and expanded function dental assistant, each requiring the license application in section 18343 or 18344.
A dental assistant working outside those two titles performs only tasks a dentist delegates by custom and usage under section 18371, subsection 3, with no separate license required for that work.
Confirm which category applies to your role with the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
Can a dental assistant take x-rays in Maine?
Only through one of Maine's two licensed titles.
A dental radiographer may practice dental radiography under the general supervision of a dentist or an independent practice dental hygienist, per section 18372.
Since a 2025 amendment to section 18373, an expanded function dental assistant may also expose and process radiographs under a dentist's general supervision.
The statute does not describe x-ray authority for an assistant who holds neither license.
Verify current radiography rules with the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
What does "general supervision" mean for an expanded function dental assistant in Maine?
Section 18302 defines general supervision as supervision of tasks that do not require the supervisor's physical presence in the practice setting while the procedures are performed, but that do require the tasks to be performed with the supervisor's prior knowledge and consent.
Both the dental radiographer and expanded function dental assistant scopes of practice in sections 18372 and 18373 are built on this general-supervision standard, not direct supervision.
Check with the Maine Board of Dental Practice for how a specific practice applies it.
How does someone become an expanded function dental assistant in Maine?
Section 18344 requires verification of a high school diploma or its equivalent, plus one of: a current certified dental assistant certificate from a board-approved program, an active Maine dental hygiene license, or an active dental hygiene license from another state, U.S. territory or foreign jurisdiction.
The applicant must also verify completing board-required training and passing all board-required examinations.
Confirm current programs and exam requirements with the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
What can't an expanded function dental assistant do in Maine?
Section 18373 lists procedures an expanded function dental assistant may not perform: full or limited exams, diagnosis or treatment planning; surgical or cutting procedures on hard or soft tissue; prescribing drugs or work authorizations; pulp capping, pulpotomy or other endodontic procedures; placing or adjusting fixed or removable prosthetic appliances; and administering local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia.
Confirm any additional limits with the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
Who regulates dental assistants in Maine?
Dental Assistants in Maine are regulated by the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
The rules on this page come from the state's own statute and board rules as published on the dates shown; they change over time, so verify current requirements with the board before relying on them.
More Maine & Dental Assistant Resources
Sourced from Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, Chapter 143 — Dental Professions (the Dental Practice Act): §18302 Definitions, §18343 Dental radiographer license, §18344 Expanded function dental assistant license, §18350 Continuing education, §18371 Dentist (scope/delegation), §18372 Dental radiographer scope of practice, §18373 Expanded function dental assistant scope of practice (Document generated 10.20.2025; most recent amendments to the extracted sections include PL 2025, c. 83, §§2-4 (§18373, effective 2025) and PL 2023, c. 354, §4 (§18350)). Verified September 2026. This page summarizes the state's own statute and board rules as published on the dates shown. It is general information, not legal advice, and rules change: confirm anything you intend to rely on with the state dental board before acting on it.