Dental Assistant Requirements in Washington: Registration, X-Ray Rules & Allowed Duties
Washington registers dental assistants through the Department of Health under the Dental Quality Assurance Commission.
Registration requires an application, the fee, and meeting the state's age rules; no exam is named for the registered tier.
The rules define three credentials, spell out which supportive services a registered dental assistant may perform under close supervision, including placing, exposing and processing radiographs, and list the acts an assistant may never perform.
Credentials renew every year on the practitioner's birthday.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Entry-level assistant
Registration
Required
Registered dental assistant
Credential levels
3
Verified September 2026
Regulated by
Dental Quality Assurance Commission
The Short Version
- Registration or licensure
- A dental assistant registers with the Department of Health by application, fee, any other information the department requires, and meeting the age requirements the rule cites.
- Taking x-rays
- Placing, exposing and processing radiographs is a supportive service a registered dental assistant may perform under close supervision; the rule names no separate radiography permit or course.
- Credential titles the state uses
- Registered dental assistant · Licensed expanded function dental auxiliary · Certified dental anesthesia assistant
The three assistant credentials Washington defines
The chapter sets out a registered dental assistant, a licensed expanded function dental auxiliary, and a certified dental anesthesia assistant, each with its own eligibility rule and fee.
All three credentials renew every year on the practitioner's birthday.
Credentials must be renewed every year on the practitioner's birthday as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC.
Registering as a dental assistant
Eligibility for registration is administrative: a completed application on the department's forms, the applicable fees under WAC 246-817-99005, any other information the department determines, and the age requirements of WAC 296-125-030.
The rule names no examination or training program for this tier.
To be eligible for registration as a dental assistant the applicant shall: (1) Provide to the department a completed application on forms provided by the department; (2) Pay applicable fees as defined in WAC 246-817-99005; (3) Provide to the department any other information determined by the department; and (4) Meet the age requirements of WAC 296-125-030.
What close and general supervision mean here
Close supervision means the supervising dentist has personally diagnosed and authorized the procedure and is continuously on-site and physically present in the treatment facility, able to respond immediately, though not necessarily in the operatory.
General supervision means the dentist has examined and diagnosed the patient and given instructions but need not be physically present in the facility.
"Close supervision" means that a supervising dentist whose patient is being treated has personally diagnosed the condition to be treated and has personally authorized the procedures to be performed. The supervising dentist is continuously on-site and physically present in the treatment facility while the procedures are performed by the assistive personnel and capable of responding immediately in the event of an emergency. Close supervision does not require a supervising dentist to be physically present in the operatory.
Supportive services a registered dental assistant may perform
Under close supervision, and provided the assistant has demonstrated the skills for each task, a supervising dentist may delegate the listed supportive services: oral inspection with no diagnosis, blood pressure and vital signs, placing, exposing and processing radiographs, intra-oral and extra-oral photographs, coronal polish, fluoride treatments, oral hygiene education, pre- and postoperative instructions, delivering an oral sedative, assisting with nitrous oxide including starting and stopping the flow as directed, topical anesthetics, rubber dam, tooth separators, sealants, matrix and wedge, cavity liners and bases, acid etch and bonding agents, among others.
Delegating services not on the list may be subject to disciplinary action.
A supervising dentist may delegate the supportive services in subsection (4) of this section under the dentist's close supervision, provided the registered dental assistant has demonstrated skills necessary to perform each task competently.
Taking x-rays
Radiographs sit on the delegable list as a single item: place, expose, and process radiographs.
It is a close-supervision task like the rest of the list, and the chapter names no separate radiography credential, course or exam for a registered dental assistant.
(c) Place, expose, and process radiographs.
Acts a registered dental assistant may not perform
The rule lists acts a dentist may not allow a registered dental assistant to perform, and says the list is not all inclusive: any removal of or addition to hard or soft natural tissue, placing permanent restorations, any diagnosis or prescription, any administration of general or local anesthetic including intravenous sedation, any oral prophylaxis other than coronal polishing as defined, any scaling, and impressions for fabricating restorations, appliances or prostheses beyond those allowed as delegated tasks.
This list is not all inclusive. Delegation of procedures not in subsections (1) through (22) of this section should not be assumed to be allowed.
Nitrous oxide and sedation
A registered dental assistant may deliver an oral sedative drug to a patient and assist in the administration of inhalation minimal sedation (nitrous oxide), including starting and stopping the flow as directed by the supervising dentist.
Administering general or local anesthetic, including intravenous sedation, is on the prohibited list.
A separate certified dental anesthesia assistant credential exists with its own rules.
(j) Assist in the administration of inhalation minimal sedation (nitrous oxide) analgesia, including starting and stopping the flow as directed by the supervising dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license or certification to work as a dental assistant in Washington?
You need to register with the Department of Health.
Under WAC 246-817-190, registration takes a completed application, the fee set in WAC 246-817-99005, any other information the department asks for, and meeting the state's age requirements.
The rule names no exam or training program for the registered tier.
Expanded function and dental anesthesia assistant credentials have separate requirements.
Confirm current forms and fees with the Dental Quality Assurance Commission.
Can a registered dental assistant take x-rays in Washington?
Yes.
Placing, exposing and processing radiographs is listed in WAC 246-817-520 as a supportive service a registered dental assistant may perform under close supervision, once the assistant has demonstrated the skill.
The chapter does not name a separate radiography permit or course for that tier.
Check with the Dental Quality Assurance Commission for any training the supervising dentist must document.
Does the dentist have to be in the room while an assistant works?
Not in the room, but in the building.
Close supervision, which governs the registered dental assistant's supportive services, requires the supervising dentist to be continuously on-site and physically present in the treatment facility and able to respond immediately, and the definition says it does not require the dentist to be physically present in the operatory.
Verify the current definition with the Dental Quality Assurance Commission.
What can a dental assistant never do in Washington?
WAC 246-817-540 lists acts a dentist may not allow a registered dental assistant to perform, including removing or adding to natural hard or soft tissue, placing permanent restorations, diagnosing or prescribing, administering general or local anesthetic or intravenous sedation, oral prophylaxis other than coronal polishing, scaling, and most impressions for fabricating restorations.
The rule says its list is not all inclusive, so ask the Dental Quality Assurance Commission before assuming an unlisted task is allowed.
Who regulates dental assistants in Washington?
Dental Assistants in Washington are regulated by the Dental Quality Assurance Commission.
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 Washington & Dental Assistant Resources
Sourced from Chapter 246-817 WAC, Dental Quality Assurance Commission (dental assistant sections) (Last Update: 7/9/26; certified 8/12/2026). 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.