How to Prepare for the RHS Exam

While in most states you don’t need to meet any educational requirements to be a dental assistant, many states require dental assistants to pass the Radiation and Health Safety exam before taking patient’s radiographs. This exam covers everything from positioning radiography equipment to get the best images possible to ensuring the safety of the patient, assistants, and doctors around the equipment. 

What is the RHS Exam?

The Radiation and Health Safety (RHS) exam is 100 questions long and you’ll have 75 minutes to take the exam. It costs $270 to take the exam, so study hard! There are no eligibility requirements and you can apply to take it at any time. 

There are four parts or “domains” of the exam: 1. Expose and Evaluate, 2. Quality Assurance and Radiology Regulations, 3. Radiation Safety for Patients and Operators, and 4.Infection Control. These sections have multiple tiers of topics and some of the exam will spend more time on some domains over others. Before taking the exam, be sure to review the official RHS exam outline and study hard. 

What to Study to Pass the RHS Exam

On the DANB website, you can find an exam outline and resources to study. There are many other external study resources too. If you’re already working in a dental clinic, getting hands-on experience and learning from the dentist or other dental assistants.

Where to Apply and How to Study

You can apply to take the RHS exam on the Dental Assisting National Board’s website. The website has everything from testing information, study materials, and review courses. Luckily, one of the best courses you can take to prepare for the RHS exam is found here at 90 Day Dental Assisting. Not only will you learn how to take radiographs, but you’ll learn more about dental assisting as a whole. Check out our curriculum overview to see if 90 Day Dental Assisting is the best next step for your career.