All applications and renewals must be submitted, approved and paid through this website. Mailed applications and cheques are not processed.
Commission on Ohio Dental Assistant Certification
Ohio certification

The credential Ohio
dental assistants hold.

CODA certifies dental assistants who meet the state standard. Sit one exam and you gain a credential recognised by the Ohio State Dental Board, plus access to expanded-duty programmes.

A dental treatment room prepared for practice
Set by the commission

The standard for dental assisting in Ohio.

How it works

Three steps, start to finish.

Every application, payment and certificate lives in one account. Here is the path from first sign-up to a certificate in your hand.

  1. Apply

    Create your profile, book a seat and pay the fee. Everything is handled in the portal.

    Open the portal
  2. Sit the exam

    A written paper and a clinical bench test, taken on the same day at Fort Hayes.

    What the exam covers
  3. Get certified

    Pass both parts and you hold a credential Ohio employers and programmes recognise.

    What the credential opens
A dental assistant holding examination instruments
Why it matters

A certification that carries weight.

Ohio does not licence dental assistants, but many employers and programmes ask for CODA certification. It is the document that shows you meet the standard.

  • 01

    Recognised by the Ohio State Dental Board

    Certification meets the requirement for EFDA, coronal polishing and pit and fissure sealant programmes.

  • 02

    A route to expanded duties

    Once certified, you can apply for the expanded-function programmes that increase what you are allowed to do chairside.

  • 03

    Built for working assistants

    Twelve education hours a year, submitted online. No paper forms and no visits to an office.

12 hours

Continuing education each year

$35 USD

Annual renewal fee

31 Dec

Renewal deadline each year

2 parts

Written and clinical, sat together

Staying current

Renew once a year. Keep the credential live.

Your certificate expires on 31 December each year. Renew online with 12 hours of continuing education and the annual fee, and your certification carries forward without a break.

Before 31 December $35.00
After 31 December $45.00
Lapse and re-sit Full exam

Certification that is not renewed by 31 March is treated as expired. To be certified again you sit the full examination.

Get started

Take the next exam.

Registration for November 7, 2026 closes on October 8, 2026. Apply through the portal, upload your documents, and pay the fee in one sitting.