To amend regulations to create a pathway for dental assistants with 5-10 years of experience to take the Certified Restorative Functions Dental Assistant exam and have the employing dentist observe and approve of their capabilities to be a dental assistant II.

The petition will be published on December 7, 2020 in the Register of Regulations and also posted on the Virginia Regulatory Townhall at www.townhall.virginia.gov to receive public comment ending December 31, 2020.  The request to amend regulations and any comments for or against the petition will be considered by the Board at the first scheduled meeting in 2021.  The petitioner will receive information on the Board’s decision after that date.

At its meeting on March 19, 2021, the Board considered the request to amend regulations and all of the comments for or against the petition. The Board’s decision was not to initiate rulemaking to change the regulation. The Board concurred with persons in opposition who noted that standardized training and testing validated by the Certified Restorative Functions Dental Assistant examination is necessary to ensure public safety and quality dental care. The Board also concurred with the need to increase the number of dental assistants II in Virginia. To that end, it has amended requirements for dental assistants II to reduce the hours in training the cost of obtaining that credential. The amended regulations become effective on March 31, 2021.