Guides · Careers · 5 min read
How to Become a Dental Assistant in Maine
By Elizabeth Carr, DHA · 5 min read
Maine does not license dental assistants. It licenses two credentials an assistant can earn: Dental Radiographer, which is what lets you expose x-rays, and Expanded Function Dental Assistant. Both require passing the board's jurisprudence examination at 90 percent. Verify current rules with the Maine Board of Dental Practice before enrolling in any course.
Maine does not license dental assistants, but it does license Dental Radiographers and Expanded Function Dental Assistants. This guide comes from DentalReady's fifty-state requirements research: what you can do from day one in Maine, the certifications that expand your duties, and the realistic path in. Rules change, so the Maine Board of Dental Practice link at the bottom is always the final word.
What you can do from day one
Maine practices hire entry-level assistants and grow their duties with training. The table below lists duties the state allows dental assistants to perform, with training or certification requirements noted where they apply.
| Allowed duty |
|---|
| Chairside assisting |
| Taking radiographs (dental radiographer licence, or within an EFDA licence) |
| Supragingival polishing (expanded function dental assistant) |
| Applying sealants and fluoride (expanded function dental assistant) |
| Taking impressions |
| Removing sutures |
Certifications and X-rays in Maine
A Dental Radiographer licence is required to expose x-rays, and since May 2025 exposing and processing radiographs also falls within the EFDA scope, so an EFDA no longer needs the separate radiographer licence. EFDA licensure requires current DANB CDA certification or an active dental hygiene licence, plus a board-approved EFDA programme.
CPR certification required.
The fastest realistic path
Step 1: Build real preparation first: instruments, procedure flow, infection control, and patient communication, so a hiring dentist sees you as useful in week one.
Step 2: Apply to entry-level and willing-to-train postings across Maine, and ask each practice which certifications they sponsor.
Step 3: Complete the certifications above as your duties grow, starting with radiography, and confirm every requirement with the Maine Board of Dental Practice.
Common questions
Do dental assistants need a license in Maine?
Not as dental assistants. The Maine Board of Dental Practice does not license dental assistants, and a dentist may delegate to an unlicensed person activities delegated by custom and usage. Maine does license two credentials an assistant can earn: Dental Radiographer and Expanded Function Dental Assistant.
Can dental assistants take X-rays in Maine?
You need a Dental Radiographer licence, or an EFDA licence, which since May 2025 covers exposing and processing radiographs. The radiographer licence requires a board-approved course in dental radiologic technique and safety or an approved examination, and a 90 percent pass on the board's jurisprudence exam. DANB's RHS exam meets the examination requirement.
Where do I verify Maine's rules?
The Maine Board of Dental Practice publishes the current duty lists and certification requirements for dental assistants. Check it before enrolling in any course.
Walk into your first interview already knowing the room.
Start your preparationSources
Written by Elizabeth Carr, DHA, Program Director, DentalReady; former Dental Hygiene Department Chair, UMMC School of Dentistry
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