Dental Assisting National Board

What Dental Assisting National Board does

Dental Assisting National Board (DANB), founded in 1948 and headquartered in Chicago, is the recognized national certification board for dental assistants in the United States. It is a private nonprofit organization, separately incorporated in 1978 and recognized by the American Dental Association as the national credentialing body for the profession. DANB develops and administers NCCA-accredited national certifications (Certified Dental Assistant, Certified Orthodontic Assistant, National Entry Level Dental Assistant) and component exams (Radiation Health and Safety, Infection Control, General Chairside Assisting, Coronal Polishing, Applied Mathematics), plus state-specific Oregon expanded-functions exams.

DANB's technology stack consists of an online application and credential management portal (online.danb.org) integrated with Credly for digital badge issuance and verification, with exam delivery options that include Pearson VUE test centers and remote online-proctored sessions. Content validity is maintained through periodic Content Validation Studies. The wholly-owned DALE Foundation, founded in 2010, serves as the official education and research affiliate, providing study materials that feed the exam pipeline.

The business model is fee-for-service certification: one-time exam fees ranging from roughly $245 to $450 for national exams and $250 to $350 for Oregon state exams, plus recurring certification maintenance/renewal fees. Reach is approximately 50,000 certificates issued annually against a base of 34,000+ active certificants, with a small staff of 11-50 employees. Customer segments are individual dental assistants (primary), dental assisting educators and programs, dental practices and employers, and state dental boards and regulatory bodies. GTM is predominantly self-serve / product-led via the online portal, supplemented by content marketing (Certified Press newsletter, blog), social media, and the DALE Foundation's educational partnership channel.

Name

Dental Assisting National Board

Legal name

Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.

Website

https://danb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DANB is the ADA-recognized national certification board for U.S. dental assistants, administering NCCA-accredited exams (CDA, COA, NELDA and components) and Oregon state exams. It serves individual dental assistants, dental practices, educators, and state boards through online and test-center delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Credentialing Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Licensure & Certification Exam Prep (Bar/CPA/NCLEX/PMP, etc.) (EDAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB), Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training (BPACANAJ)

Keywords

• Dental assistant certification
• National dental examinations
• Professional credentialing services
• Infection control certification
• Radiation safety testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Examination fees: DANB generates revenue through examination fees charged to candidates for various national and state dental assisting exams. Fees vary by exam type, with national exams ranging from $245-$450 and state-specific exams priced at $250-$350.
2. Certification fees: Revenue generated from certification maintenance and renewal fees for dental assistants holding DANB credentials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DANB develops, administers, and maintains national certification examinations for dental assistants, including milestone certifications (CDA, COA, NELDA) and component exams (RHS, ICE, GC, CP, AMP), plus Oregon state-specific expanded functions exams. Candidates apply through an online portal and take exams at Pearson VUE test centers or via online remote proctoring. Certified individuals receive digital badges through Credly for online sharing and verification.

Product overview

DANB (Dental Assisting National Board) is the national certification board for dental assistants, recognized by the American Dental Association. The organization provides a comprehensive portfolio of national certification exams and certificates including the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA), and National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA), along with component exams such as Radiation Health and Safety (RHS), Infection Control (ICE), General Chairside Assisting (GC), Coronal Polishing (CP), and Applied Mathematics (AMP). DANB also administers state-specific exams for Oregon covering expanded functions in dental assisting and orthodontics. Language accessibility is provided through Spanish and Vietnamese exam versions for both national and Oregon exams. Credential management includes digital badges issued through Credly, and exam delivery options include online proctored exams and test center exams. The DALE Foundation serves as the official education affiliate, providing study materials, practice tests, and curriculum resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DANB Digital Badges: Digital credentials issued through Credly to recognize achievements of those who earn DANB credentials.

Products and services

• Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Exam A national milestone certification that combines the RHS, ICE, and GC exams into a single comprehensive assessment, demonstrating competency across radiation health and safety, infection control, and general chairside assisting for dental assistants.
• Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) Exam A national milestone certification for dental assistants specializing in orthodontics, demonstrating competency in orthodontic assisting procedures and infection control.
• National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) Exam An entry-level national certification composed of the RHS, ICE, and AMP exams, designed for entry-level dental assistants and accessible via multiple eligibility pathways including graduation from non-CODA programs, Job Corps, and work experience.
• Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) Exam A national component exam covering radiation safety and radiographic procedures that is recognized or required in many U.S. states and forms part of the CDA, NELDA, and other DANB certifications.
• Infection Control (ICE) Exam A national component exam that tests knowledge of infection control procedures and protocols in dental settings and is recognized in many U.S. states.
• General Chairside Assisting (GC) Exam A national component exam covering knowledge and skills for chairside dental procedures, available through multiple eligibility pathways including CODA-accredited program graduation, work experience, or apprenticeship.
• Coronal Polishing (CP) Exam A national component exam that tests knowledge of coronal polishing techniques and procedures, available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
• Applied Mathematics (AMP) Exam A national component exam covering mathematical knowledge relevant to dental assisting procedures, used as a component of the NELDA certification.
• Oregon Coronal Polishing with Infection Control (CPIC) Exam An Oregon-specific state exam combining coronal polishing and infection control content, required for dental assistants in Oregon seeking expanded functions certification.
• Oregon Expanded Functions Assisting with Infection Control (OR-EFIC) Exam An Oregon state exam for expanded functions dental assistants covering infection control procedures specific to Oregon requirements.
• Oregon Orthodontic Expanded Functions with Infection Control (OR-OEFIC) Exam An Oregon state exam for orthodontic expanded functions dental assistants covering both orthodontic procedures and infection control.
• Oregon Expanded Functions General Dental Assisting (ORXG) Exam An Oregon state exam for expanded functions general dental assisting, available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
• Oregon Expanded Functions Orthodontic Assisting (ORXO) Exam An Oregon state exam for expanded functions orthodontic assisting, available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
• Digital Badges (via Credly) Online credential emblems issued through Credly that represent earned DANB certifications and certificates, embedded with verification data for real-time confirmation and shareable across LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, email, and websites.
• Online Proctored Exams Online remote proctoring delivery option that allows candidates to take DANB exams from their own location with live supervision, supplementing Pearson VUE test center delivery.
• DALE Foundation Education and Research Services The Dental Advancement through Learning and Education (DALE) Foundation is DANB's official education and research affiliate, offering interactive online educational courses, study materials, and practice tests that prepare candidates for DANB exams and advance dental assisting careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,000+ dental assistants hold DANB certification
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DALE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by DANB in 2010 as its official education and research affiliate. The DALE Foundation offers interactive online educational courses and resources to advance the dental team and help dental professionals prepare for DANB exams.
• CredlycoreTechnology or IntegrationDANB partnered with Credly to issue digital badges for all certifications and the Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) and Infection Control (ICE) certificates. This enables credential holders to share their achievements online with real-time verification.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE provides test center infrastructure for DANB's in-person exam delivery, enabling candidates to take exams at authorized testing locations nationwide.
• Association for Dental Safety (ADS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDANB shares information with ADS as an affiliate organization. ADS is related to dental infection prevention and control certificate programs developed in collaboration with the DALE Foundation.
• SkillsUSAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDANB and the DALE Foundation sponsor the SkillsUSA national dental assisting competition, supporting student competitions and professional development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA): ADAA is the professional membership association for dental assistants and historically founded DANB in 1948. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, focused on member advocacy, education, and professional development.
• Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA): CODA accredits dental and dental-related education programs, including dental assisting programs. It is adjacent rather than competitive — CODA accredits schools while DANB certifies individuals — but the two organizations are tightly linked through the dental assisting education-to-employment pathway.
• Credly: Credly is DANB's digital badging partner, issuing and managing verifiable digital credentials for DANB-certified professionals. It is an ecosystem/technology enabler rather than a credentialing competitor, but central to DANB's modern credential verification experience.
• Pearson VUE: Pearson VUE is DANB's test delivery partner, operating the test centers where candidates sit for in-person DANB exams. It is an infrastructure/ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, but its platform decisions directly affect DANB's exam delivery economics.

Direct peers

• National Healthcareer Association (NHA): NHA is a for-profit certification body for allied health professionals (pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, phlebotomists) and operates a similar exam-and-certification business model. It is a direct competitor in healthcare workforce credentialing, with comparable exam delivery, digital badging, and accreditation positioning.
• American Medical Technologists (AMT): AMT certifies allied health professionals including medical assistants, dental assistants, phlebotomists, and medical laboratory technicians. It directly competes with DANB in dental assisting certification and uses a comparable NCCA-accredited certification model.
• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC): NBRC provides credentialing examinations for respiratory therapists and pulmonary function technologists, with a parallel nonprofit, NCCA-accredited, exam-based business model and similar state-level regulatory recognition dynamic.
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB): PTCB is the national certification body for pharmacy technicians, structurally identical to DANB — a nonprofit credentialing organization offering NCCA-accredited exams, state-recognized credentials, and digital badging. It is a close analog in business model and regulatory positioning.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): ARRT certifies and registers radiologic technologists, operating a nonprofit, exam-based credentialing model with state regulatory recognition, ongoing certification maintenance, and digital credential verification — directly comparable to DANB's operational structure.
• National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA): NBSTSA provides national certification for surgical technologists and surgical assistants under an exam-based, NCCA-accredited nonprofit model. It parallels DANB in serving an allied health profession with state-recognized credentials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/danbcertified
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DANBCertified
• Facebookfacebook.com/danbcertified
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/danb

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dental Assisting National Board