Dental Assistant Competency Exam 2023
1. A permanent dentition consists of how many teeth?
a. 28
b. 30
c. 32
d. 26
2. Which teeth are sometimes called the “eye” tooth?
a. Premolars
b. Canines
c. Incisors
d. Bicuspids
3. Which proximal surface of a tooth is closest toward the midline of the body?
a. Occlusal
b. Facial
c. Palatal
d. Mesial
4. A permanent dentition consists of how many premolars?
a. 4
b. 8
c. 12
d. None
5. What is the vertical movement of a tooth into its functional position in the mouth called?
a. Exfoliation
b. Eruption
c. Resorption
d. Shedding
6. When a mouth is divided into fourths, the parts are referred to as:
a. Arch
b. Sextant
c. Quadrant
d. Posterior/Anterior
7. The labial surface is the facial tooth surface closest to which area?
a. Lips
b. Cheek
c. Tongue
d. Palate
8. The temporomandibular joint cause movement in which arch?
a. Mandibular
b. Maxillary
c. Both mandibular and maxillary
d. Sextant
9. Using the Universal System of tooth designation, what tooth is #12?
a. Maxillary right canine
b. Maxillary left first premolar
c. Maxillary left second premolar
d. Maxillary left canine
10. Dental assistants are not permitted to use which dental tool?
a. X-ray Sensor
b. Alginate
c. Model Trimmer
d. Cavitron
11. If you enter an operatory and see sodium hypochlorite, files, a rubber dam, and gutta percha,
which procedure will you most likely be assisting on?
a. Amalgam
b. Composite
c. Root Canal Therapy
d. Crown Prep
12. Which type of restoration would not require the use of a matrix band or celluloid matrix strip?
a. Class I
b. Class II
c. Class III
d. Class IV
13. Why are intermediate restorations sometimes used in Dentistry?
a. Financial reasons
b. To determine the health of a tooth
c. While waiting for a permanent restoration
d. All of the above
14. Which tooth whitening option provides the fastest results?
a. In-office whitening
b. Trays with bleaching gel
c. Brush-on whitening
d. Whitening strips
15. The T Band matrix system is designed to be used on which teeth?
a. Primary pre-molar
b. Primary molar
c. Permanent pre-molar
d. Permanent molar
16. During periodontal probing, which sulcus measurement is considered normal?
a. 3mm
b. 4mm
c. 5mm
d. 6mm
17. Which of the following is NOT a mode of disease transmission?
a. Bloodborne
b. Airborne
c. Indirect
d. Sexually transmitted
18. Which Hepatitis virus should healthcare personnel be immunized against?
a. Hep A
b. Hep B
c. Hep C
d. All of the above
19. Which of the following diseases can be spread through contaminated water supplies?
a. Hepatitis C
b. Tuberculosis
c. Legionnaire’s Disease
d. Primary Herpes
20. A patient experiences an infection where symptoms appear quickly and are severe. What type of
infection is this?
a. Acute
b. Chronic
c. Latent
d. Opportunistic
21. What is a microorganism called that can cause diseases?
a. Bacteria
b. Virus
c. Syndrome
d. Pathogen
22. Which disease is an example of one caused by a spore?
a. Tetanus
b. HIV
c. Hep B
d. All of the above
23. Sending contaminated impressions to a dental lab and wearing contaminated clothing outside
of the office can cause which type of disease transmission?
a. Patient to patient
b. Patient to dental team
c. Community to dental office
d. Dental office to community
24. The assumption that all blood and body fluids are to be treated as if known to be infected is
called?
a. OSHA compliance
b. CDC compliance
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c. Exposure control plan
d. Universal Standard Precautions
Dental Assistants fall under which occupational exposure category?
a. I
b. II
c. III
d. IV
Where must needles, scalpel blades, and orthodontic wires be disposed?
a. Glass jar
b. Contaminated waste
c. Dumpster
d. Sharps container
Masks, eyewear with front and side protection, face shields, and gloves are examples of what?
a. HVE
b. PPD
c. PTSD
d. PPE
Scrap amalgam falls under which classification of waste?
a. General Waste
b. Hazardous waste
c. Contaminated waste
d. Infectious waste
Paper towels fall under which classification of waste?
a. General waste
b. Hazardous waste
c. Contaminated waste
d. Infectious waste
The portal of entry for air borne pathogens does NOT include which area?
a. Mouth
b. Nose
c. Skin
d. Mucous Membranes
Which type of infection presents symptoms that come and go?
a. Chronic
b. Acute
c. Latent
d. Opportunistic
What type of film allows the entire dentition to be viewed on a single film?
a. Occlusal
b. Cephelometric
c. Panoramic
d. All of the above
33. Which of the following inflicts the most radiation on a patient?
a. FMX
b. Panoramic
c. Bitewing series
d. PA
34. Why does digital radiography require less radiation than traditional xrays?
a. The xray beams are more powerful
b. It uses lower wave-length radiation
c. Sensors are more sensitive
d. All of the above
35. Digital xray sensors
a. Cannot be sterilized
b. Are sealed and waterproofed
c. Must be covered with a barrier
d. All of the above
36. Which of the following IS NOT an advantage in regards to digital xray sensors?
a. Resolution
b. Sensor size
c. Reduced radiation
d. None of the above
37. What size film is appropriate for use as a PA on an upper incisor?
a. O
b. 1
c. 3
d. All of the above
38. Failing to have the x-ray beam in a perpendicular position in a paralleling technique will result in
a. Foreshortening
b. Elongation
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
39. What will cause overlapping of proximal contacts?
a. Improper horizontal angulation
b. Improper vertical angulation
c. Inadequate paralleling
d. All of the above
40. What happens when the x-ray beam is NOT centered with the xray sensor?
a. Cone cutting
b. Foreshortening
c. Elongation
d. All of the above
41. What improper placement can cause misdiagnosis on BWX x-rays?
a. Incorrect vertical angulation
b. Incorrect horizontal angulation
c. Bisecting the angle
d. Centered x-ray beam
42. FMX series consist of:
a. 15-20 films
b. 10-18 PA films
c. 18-20 films including both PA and BWX films
d. 20-22 films with at least 4 BWX films
43. Which of the following is not appropriate after a lead apron has been used?
a. Disinfected
b. Folded
c. Hung
d. Draped over a bar
44. What type of xray would be most appropriate to view the root apex of tooth #28?
a. Bitewing film
b. Periapical film
c. Panoramic film
d. Any of the above
45. What type of xray would be most appropriate when screening for interproximal recurrent
decay?
a. BWX
b. PA
c. Pano
d. Occlusal
46. Which of the following would appear radiolucent on a film?
a. A pulp
b. Root canal therapy
c. Dentin
d. Implant
47. A Thyroid collar
a. Is designed for use apart from a lead apron during radiographs
b. Is designed for using during panoramic films
c. Is designed to be apart from or attached to a lead apron during radiographs
d. Is designed to be used apart from a lead apron during intraoral radiographs
48. What anatomical landmark helps determine a mandibular from a maxillary tooth when
mounting radiographs?
a. The number of roots
b. Slope of the jawbone
c. Hyoid process
d. Maxillary sinus
49. On a x-ray, which of the following will appear as radiolucent?
a. A composite filling
b. Decay
c. Root canal therapy
d. Amalgam filling
50. What is used to measure the amount of radiation exposure for dental care workers?
a. Occupational badge
b. Film monitor
c. Pocket dosimeter
d. Radiation badge
Please refer to the xray below to answer the next 3 questions
51. This is an example of what type of xray?
a. Bitewing
b. Occlusal
c. Panoramic
d. Periapical
52. How many root canals has this person had?
a. 4
b. 5
c. 6
d. 7
53. Which teeth are the abutment teeth for the bridge?
a. 2 and 3
b. 19 and 21
c. 18 and 20
d. 29 and 31