CDA to RDA completion pathway coming in Jan. 2026
TRAVERSE CITY — NMC will offer a new fast-track pathway to Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) certification in January 2026, providing current certified dental assistants (CDAs) with a way to expand their career opportunities in as little as one semester.
This CDA to RDA completion option is for any certified dental assistant who has two or more years of experience and currently holds a valid CDA certification from the Dental Assisting National Board and current CPR certification.
Applicants will receive college credit for their CDA certification. They will then complete 10 credit hours (four classes) with a limited number of in-person sessions. After successful course completion, the student is eligible to take the Michigan Registered Dental Assistant examination.
RDAs are able to perform more procedures independently than CDAs, which expands their career opportunities. Average base salary for a full-time RDA in Michigan is $37,140/year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The profession is expanding at a rate of 11 percent per year.
For more information, please contact Beckie Wooters , program director at 231-995-1240 or bwooters@nmc.edu. For more information about the dental assistant degrees and certificates NMC offers, visit nmc.edu/dental.
Release date: July 8, 2025
For more information:
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (Call or text)