How to Become a Dental Assistant in Illinois: A Complete Guide
If you're looking to start a career as a dental assistant in Illinois, here's the good news: there's no state license required for basic dental assisting. That means you can get hired and start working before you complete any formal training, then build toward expanded functions and higher pay once you have experience under your belt.
Here is exactly how the process works, from your first job to expanded functions and beyond.
Step 1: Know That Illinois Doesn't Require a License to Start
Illinois dental assistants do not need a state license to perform basic, entry-level duties. There is no formal education or credential required to apply for a dental assisting job, only a dentist willing to hire and train you.
Basic duties you can perform without any certification include sterilizing instruments, preparing treatment rooms, assisting the dentist chairside, educating patients, and handling administrative tasks like scheduling and charting, all under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist.
Step 2: Get Trained, Either On the Job or Through a Program
Because Illinois doesn't require a credential to start, you have two realistic paths in.
On-the-job training. Many dental offices in Illinois are willing to train an assistant from scratch, especially if you show up with a strong work ethic and some general healthcare or customer service background. Training periods typically run two to six months depending on the practice and the scope of duties you'll be handling.
A formal training program. A structured program gets you job-ready faster and can make you a more competitive candidate, since you walk in already knowing sterilization protocols, chairside assisting, and dental terminology instead of learning everything from zero on the job. Dental AssistEd's 8-Week Become a Dental Assistant Program is built for exactly this, hands-on training that gets you ready to work in weeks, not months.
Step 3: Land Your First Job
Once you're trained, whether on the job or through a program, you're ready to start working as a basic dental assistant. This is where most people begin their career in Illinois, since no certification stands between you and your first paycheck.
From here, your responsibilities and pay tend to grow as you gain clinical experience and start taking on more advanced duties.
Step 4: Move Into Expanded Functions
Illinois does have a formal path for expanded functions, and it comes down to hours and training. To be eligible to perform expanded functions and hold yourself out as a Dental Assistant Qualified in Expanded Functions, you need to be at least 18 years old and meet one of the following:
1,000 hours of practical clinical experience in a dental office, or
Completion of a CODA-accredited dental assisting program, or
CDA certification plus completion of a course in the specific expanded function you want to perform
From there, you complete required training in each expanded function you want to add. Illinois currently offers expanded function courses in coronal polishing and pit/fissure sealant placement, nitrous oxide administration and monitoring, and anesthesia/sedation assistant monitoring, with courses scheduled throughout the state.
If you want to go further and pursue restorative work (placing, packing, and finishing composite restorations), that's a higher tier known as EFDA Restorative certification, which requires significantly more experience, typically around 4,000 hours of clinical patient care, plus a completed coronal polishing and sealants course as a prerequisite.
Dental AssistEd offers a combined Illinois Coronal Polishing and Pit and Fissure Sealants course so you can knock out both prerequisites at once, along with the EFDA Restorative Certification course once you've built the required hours.
What About X-Rays?
Illinois does not have a state radiography requirement for dental assistants, but that doesn't mean it's optional in practice. Most employers require radiography certification as a condition of employment, and that typically means completing an IDFPR-approved radiography course and passing the DANB Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam. You can complete this through Dental AssistEd's Radiation Health and Safety course.
If you plan to monitor patients receiving nitrous oxide, sedation, or general anesthesia, you'll also need to maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification.
How Much Do Dental Assistants Earn in Illinois?
According to 2026 salary data from ZipRecruiter, the average dental assistant in Illinois earns about $40,838 a year, or roughly $19.63 an hour. Pay climbs with credentials and experience:
Registered Dental Assistant: around $43,403 a year
Certified Dental Assistant: around $46,367 a year
Expanded Function Dental Assistant: around $46,609 a year
In Chicago specifically, average pay runs closer to $43,448 a year. As with most states, taking on expanded functions like coronal polishing, sealant placement, or restorative work tends to push your earning potential well above the state average for basic assisting.
The Bottom Line
Illinois makes it genuinely accessible to start a career as a dental assistant. No license is required to get hired, and formal training, whether on the job or through a structured program, can get you working in a matter of weeks or months. From there, a clear hours-and-training path leads to expanded functions, radiography certification, and meaningfully higher pay.
If you're ready to start your dental assisting career or move into expanded functions, explore Dental AssistEd's Illinois courses or contact us to find the right starting point for where you are right now.
