Dental Assistant Requirements in Montana: Registration, X-Ray Rules & Allowed Duties
Montana's rules do not register or license dental assistants.
They instead define a dental auxiliary who may work under direct supervision after dental-assisting program training or dentist training, and a certified dental assistant, a narrower category that holds current certification in general chairside assisting, radiation health and safety, and infection control from the Dental Assisting National Board, who may work under general supervision for some tasks.
Radiographic exposures require an accredited dental program, military radiology certification, or a board-approved radiology exam.
Direct supervision means the dentist is on the premises; general supervision means the dentist need not be.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Entry-level assistant
Registration
Not required
Dental auxiliary
Credential levels
2
Verified September 2026
Regulated by
Montana Board of Dentistry
The Short Version
- Registration or licensure
- The rules set no registration or licensing requirement for a dental auxiliary; a dental auxiliary may work under direct supervision if instructed and qualified in a Commission on Dental Accreditation program or instructed and trained by a licensed dentist, and a certified dental assistant is defined by holding current Dental Assisting National Board certification rather than a state credential.
- Taking x-rays
- A dental auxiliary may make radiographic exposures as prescribed by the supervising dentist only if the auxiliary has graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited program of dental assisting, dental hygiene, or dentistry, has been certified in dental radiology through military experience, or has successfully completed a board-approved radiology written examination; a certified dental assistant may expose radiographs under general supervision.
- Credential titles the state uses
- Dental auxiliary · Certified dental assistant
The two categories Montana's rules define
Montana's rules define a dental auxiliary and a certified dental assistant, not a state-issued license or registration.
A dental auxiliary may work under direct supervision if instructed and qualified in a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited dental assisting program, or instructed and trained by a licensed dentist.
A certified dental assistant is a dental auxiliary who holds current certification from the Dental Assisting National Board in three specific exams.
"Certified dental assistant" is a dental auxiliary who has successfully completed all of the following exams and holds current certification from the Dental Assisting National Board: (a) general chairside assisting (GC); (b) radiation health and safety (RHS); and (c) infection control (ICE).
No state registration for a dental auxiliary
The rule names no application, fee, or state credential for a dental auxiliary.
Eligibility to work under direct supervision is training-based: the auxiliary must have been instructed and qualified in a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited dental assisting program, or instructed and trained by a licensed dentist.
The certified dental assistant category likewise rests on the auxiliary holding current Dental Assisting National Board certification rather than a Montana-issued credential.
Dental auxiliaries as defined in 37-4-408(1), MCA, may work under direct supervision if the auxiliary: (a) was instructed and qualified to perform in a dental assisting program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor; or (b) was instructed and trained by a licensed dentist.
What direct and general supervision mean here
Direct supervision means the supervising licensee has the intent and knowledge of the auxiliary's allowable functions and is on the premises while they are performed.
General supervision means the allowable functions are provided to a current patient of record with the intent and knowledge of the licensee, who must be licensed and residing in Montana, and that licensee need not be on the premises.
Dental auxiliaries performing any intraoral procedure must be under a licensed dentist's direct supervision.
"General supervision" means the provision of allowable functions by dental hygienists or auxiliaries provided to a current patient of record, with the intent and knowledge of the licensee licensed and residing in the state of Montana. The supervising licensee need not be on the premises.
What a dental auxiliary and a certified dental assistant may do
Under direct supervision, a dental auxiliary may perform procedures including, but not limited to, taking impressions for study or working casts, removing sutures and dressings, applying topical anesthetic and fluoride agents, providing oral health instructions, removing excess cement, placing and removing rubber dams and matrices, collecting patient data, polishing amalgam restorations, placing and removing temporary restorations with hand instruments only, placing pit and fissure sealants, digital capture of dental images, coronal polishing, sodium bicarbonate air polishing, monitoring prescribed nitrous oxide flow, and making radiographic exposures as prescribed.
A certified dental assistant, under general supervision, may additionally place sealants after a recent exam, perform other intraoral procedures not requiring direct supervision, and expose radiographs.
A dental auxiliary under direct supervision may perform the following dental procedures including, but not limited to: (a) making radiographic exposures as prescribed by the supervising dentist only if the auxiliary: (i) has graduated from an accredited program of dental assisting, dental hygiene, or dentistry accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation or its successor; or (ii) has been certified in dental radiology as a result of military experience; or (iii) has successfully completed a board-approved radiology written examination;
Taking x-rays
A dental auxiliary may make radiographic exposures as prescribed by the supervising dentist only if the auxiliary has graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited program of dental assisting, dental hygiene, or dentistry, has been certified in dental radiology through military experience, or has successfully completed a board-approved radiology written examination.
A certified dental assistant may expose radiographs under general supervision.
The rule also requires the dentist controlling an x-ray producing device to ensure it is used only by individuals competent to use it, with proof of current certification available for review.
A dentist licensed to use or direct the use of an x-ray producing device must ensure that the radiation source under the dentist's control is used only by individuals competent to use it. Proof of current certification must be readily available for review by the public or the board upon request.
Acts a dental auxiliary may not perform
A certified dental assistant working under general supervision may not perform certain tasks — nitrous oxide monitoring, silver diamine fluoride, rubber dams or matrices, amalgam polishing, and topical anesthetic — unless under direct supervision instead.
No dentist may allow any dental auxiliary, including a certified dental assistant, to administer or dispense drugs without prior authorization, administer intravenous or intramuscular injections or local anesthetic, place, carve, or condense permanent restorations, take final impressions of the involved arch for crowns, bridges, implants, or dentures, bond or cement fixed prosthesis or certain orthodontic appliances, place sulcular medicinal materials, perform periodontal probing, or perform metal based air polishing.
The rule adds these to the prohibitions already in 37-4-401, MCA.
In addition to the prohibitions in 37-4-401, MCA, no dentist shall allow any dental auxiliary, including certified dental assistants, to perform the following: (a) administering or dispensing any drug, without the prior authorization of the supervising dentist; (b) administering intravenous and intramuscular injections or local anesthetic; (c) placing, carving, or condensing any permanent restorations;
Nitrous oxide and sedation
A dental auxiliary under direct supervision may initiate, adjust, and monitor nitrous oxide flow for a patient who has already been prescribed and administered nitrous oxide by a licensed dentist.
A certified dental assistant working under general supervision may not perform that same nitrous oxide task unless under direct supervision instead.
The definitions rule separately defines inhalation sedation, minimal sedation, maximum recommended dose, supplemental dosing, and a trained healthcare professional who monitors anesthesia in a dental office and must hold current Basic Life Support certification.
"Trained healthcare professional" means a person who serves as an anesthesia monitor in a dental office. Such person shall maintain current certification in the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or its equivalent, shall be trained in monitoring patient vital signs, and shall be competent in the use of monitoring and emergency equipment appropriate for the level of sedation utilized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register or get licensed as a dental assistant in Montana?
No. Montana's rules set no registration or licensing requirement for a dental auxiliary.
A dental auxiliary may work under a dentist's direct supervision after being instructed and qualified in a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited program, or instructed and trained by a licensed dentist.
A narrower certified dental assistant category exists for auxiliaries who hold current Dental Assisting National Board certification.
Confirm current requirements with the Montana Board of Dentistry.
Can a dental assistant take x-rays in Montana?
Yes, but only with specific training.
A dental auxiliary may make radiographic exposures as prescribed by the supervising dentist only if the auxiliary graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation-accredited program, was certified in dental radiology through military experience, or passed a board-approved radiology written exam.
A certified dental assistant may expose radiographs under general supervision.
Check current exam options with the Montana Board of Dentistry.
Does the dentist have to be on-site while an assistant works?
It depends on the supervision level.
Direct supervision, which governs most dental auxiliary tasks and all intraoral procedures, requires the supervising licensee to be on the premises with intent and knowledge of the work.
General supervision, available to a certified dental assistant for some tasks with a current patient of record, requires only a Montana-licensed and Montana-resident licensee's intent and knowledge, and that licensee need not be on the premises.
Verify the current definitions with the Montana Board of Dentistry.
What can a dental assistant never do in Montana?
The rule bars any dental auxiliary, including a certified dental assistant, from administering or dispensing drugs without prior dentist authorization, giving intravenous or intramuscular injections or local anesthetic, placing or carving permanent restorations, taking final impressions for crowns, bridges, implants, or dentures, bonding or cementing fixed prosthesis or certain orthodontic appliances, placing sulcular medicinal materials, periodontal probing, and metal based air polishing.
These add to the prohibitions already set in 37-4-401, MCA.
Ask the Montana Board of Dentistry before assuming an unlisted task is allowed.
How is a certified dental assistant different from a dental auxiliary in Montana?
A certified dental assistant is a dental auxiliary who holds current Dental Assisting National Board certification in general chairside assisting, radiation health and safety, and infection control.
That certification lets the assistant work under general supervision for some tasks — placing sealants after a recent exam, other intraoral procedures not requiring direct supervision, and exposing radiographs — though several tasks, like nitrous oxide monitoring and applying topical anesthetic, still require direct supervision.
Confirm current certification pathways with the Montana Board of Dentistry.
Who regulates dental assistants in Montana?
Dental Assistants in Montana are regulated by the Montana Board of Dentistry.
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 Montana & Dental Assistant Resources
Sourced from ARM 24.138.301 DEFINITIONS (Board of Dentistry) — whole rule; defines direct and general supervision, dental assistant certification terms, and the sedation/administration terms (AMD, 2024 MAR p. 2205, Eff. 9/21/24; AMD, 2025 MAR, Notice No. 2025-273, Eff. 12/20/25); ARM 24.138.406 FUNCTIONS FOR DENTAL AUXILIARIES AND AUXILIARIES WHO HOLD DENTAL ASSISTANT CERTIFICATION — whole rule (AMD, 2024 MAR p. 2205, Eff. 9/21/24); ARM 24.138.407 FUNCTIONS FOR DENTAL HYGIENISTS — whole rule (included because (1) cross-references the auxiliary functions in 24.138.406(2)) (AMD, 2024 MAR p. 2205, Eff. 9/21/24). 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.