Top Tips for Taking the DANB Exam
If you want to become a dental assistant in the field, you should take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam to get your certificate. Trends show that applicants who have passed a certification exam with DANB are more likely to get hired and have an edge in competition. This is because it shows that you have a high level of competency and skill.
If you are looking into taking a DANB certification exam, read below for more information about the test and how to prepare!
What Is The DANB Exam?
The DANB exam, or dental assisting board exam, is designed to test if an applicant is qualified enough to become a dental assistant in the field. It functions with a method called CAT, or computer adaptive testing.
This will adjust the difficulty of your questions based on if you answer each one correctly or incorrectly. Most test-takers will answer about half of the questions correctly in total.
How to Prepare For the DANB Exam
Review The Exam Process
On the day that you take your dental certification exam, you should be prepared and know how your proctors will set up your test and if you can take breaks.
You should also know what materials are allowed for your exam, so you can bring the right items. Knowing all of these smaller details about your test-day experience will ease the stress you might feel on the day of your exam.
Decide On Your Review Materials
Choosing your DANB study guide will be important because not all study guides are created the same, and you need one that will work best for you to study from.
Your options include the DALE foundation review guide and various textbooks you acquired during dental assistance school.
Start As Early As Possible
Starting your studies as early as you can, up to 6 months before you take your test, will increase the likelihood of passing and make studying less stressful. Remember that cramming for a test may help you score well, but you will not remember the content in the long term, which you need for when you begin working.
Take practice tests regularly, so you can measure your progress.
Rest Well
Studies have shown that you have a much higher recall of things you have studied when you sleep shortly after studying. For this reason, studying right before bed is very helpful for your learning process.
Similarly, having a healthy sleep schedule and not being sleep-deprived in the months leading up to your exam will help you study better and score higher.
Final Thoughts
Taking the DANB dental assistant certification exam will help you when applying for jobs because it shows that you are a knowledgeable and skilled applicant. It can be very daunting because it is a difficult exam. However, with the right study tips and tools, like the ones listed above, you are more likely to score well.
Good luck and happy studying!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DANB exam hard?
It is not an easy test to take. Statistically, most participants only answer half of the questions right. However, it’s passable with the right preparation.
How Do I Pass?
Because of the adaptive nature of the test, the passing score is not set in stone for all test takers. If you are doing well, the test will become more difficult. To pass, you need to correctly answer enough questions that are at a specified difficulty level.
What If I Don’t Pass?
Don’t worry! You can study more and schedule another test attempt later on. As long as you pay for the examination fees again, you can retake the dental certification exam as you need to.