Dental Assistant / Texas
2026 data Texas board official source

Texas Dental Assistant License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

State-board requirements, fees, and renewal cycle drawn from official regulator records.

PlainCredential home → About this data

Assists dentists during procedures, takes X-rays, and manages patient records.

What the Texas data shows for Dental Assistants

To practice as a dental assistant in Texas, the state licensing board requires 1,000 documented education or training hours, a passing score on a state-approved exam. A criminal history background check is also part of the application. The regulation sits under Texas's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Certificate/Degree".

Upfront cost is $100 on a 2-year cycle. There's no continuing-education mandate tied to this profession in Texas, which keeps the long-run cost of staying licensed lighter than in CE-heavy states.

There's no published reciprocity list here - Texas reviews out-of-state credentials individually.

Licensing Ease Score

D
Licensing Ease Score
47/100
Dental Assistant · Texas

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training D
1,000 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee C-
$100
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden N/A
N/A
Renewal fee annualized over the renewal cycle
Continuing Education N/A
N/A
Continuing-education hours annualized over the renewal cycle
Experience Required N/A
N/A
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Texas

Education / Training Hours
Certificate/Degree
1,000 hours
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$100
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Required

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for Dental Assistant All Texas licenses
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Texas licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Dental Assistant in Texas? ▼
Texas requires 1000 education/training hours, passing an exam, and an initial fee of $100. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a Dental Assistant in Texas? ▼
To become a licensed dental assistant in Texas, you must meet the state's requirements including 1000 hours of education. You must also pass the required examination. Contact the Texas licensing board to verify current requirements.
Can I transfer my Dental Assistant license to Texas from another state? ▼
There's no published blanket reciprocity rule for dental assistants in Texas - applications from other states are reviewed individually. Interstate licensing compacts cover many occupations and may still apply. Reach out to the Texas licensing board for the current process.
Does Texas require a background check for Dental Assistant licensing? ▼
Texas does require a background check before issuing a dental assistant license. What counts as disqualifying, and how it's reviewed, is up to the state licensing board.

Related Guides

What to do with this dental assistant license

Dental Assistant in Texas is one requirement row in a dental assistant-wide, 50-state comparison.

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Texas licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.