The DAANCE (Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination) is administered by AAOMS — the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons — through the DAANCE Program. It certifies dental assistants who have received training in anesthesia monitoring and patient management in oral and maxillofacial surgery settings. Several states require DAANCE certification for dental anesthesia assistant registration. Practice with the free DAANCE - Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).
This free DAANCE practice test PDF contains exam-style questions drawn from all four tested domains: pharmacology, airway management, anesthesia complications, and patient preparation and documentation. Download it below to review offline or print a study copy before your certification exam.
Facts verified Oct 25, 2026 against American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), with exams delivered by PSI. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Facts verified Oct 25, 2026 against American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), with exams delivered by PSI. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Interactive DAANCE - Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
The pharmacology of anesthesia agents domain is the largest section. IV induction agents each carry specific clinical profiles: propofol is short-acting and presented as a white lipid emulsion — avoid in patients with soy or egg allergies; ketamine is a dissociative agent that preserves airway reflexes but increases secretions (an anticholinergic is often co-administered); etomidate is hemodynamically stable but carries a risk of adrenocortical suppression. Opioids tested include fentanyl (rapid onset, short duration), morphine (causes histamine release), and hydromorphone. Benzodiazepines — midazolam for amnesia and anxiolysis, diazepam as an alternative — are commonly used in dental sedation. Know both reversal agents cold: flumazenil reverses benzodiazepines; naloxone reverses opioids but has a shorter duration than most opioids, meaning redosing may be required. Nitrous oxide questions frequently test its mechanism as an incomplete anesthetic, its MAC value, and diffusion hypoxia — always administer 100% oxygen for a minimum of five minutes at the end of a nitrous case. Local anesthetics are tested on the amide-vs-ester distinction and maximum doses by drug and patient weight.
Airway management and monitoring requires solid anatomy knowledge: the laryngeal structures (epiglottis, vocal cords, trachea), Mallampati classification (I–IV), and the indications for jaw thrust versus head-tilt chin-lift. Airway adjuncts covered include bag-mask ventilation, LMA placement, ET tubes, nasal airways, and oral airways. Monitoring interpretation is critical: normal SpO2 is ≥95%, normal EtCO2 is 35–45 mmHg, and you must recognize hypo- and hyperventilation patterns on the capnography waveform. ECG interpretation covers normal sinus rhythm, sinus bradycardia, and sinus tachycardia.
Anesthesia complications and emergencies tests your ability to recognize and manage life-threatening events. Laryngospasm presents with stridor, loss of reservoir bag movement, and oxygen desaturation — manage with jaw thrust and CPAP, escalating to succinylcholine in severe cases. Bronchospasm produces a wheeze and is treated with albuterol or deepening of anesthesia. Aspiration prevention depends on NPO compliance (6 hours for solids, 2 hours for clear liquids); if it occurs, Trendelenburg positioning and suctioning are first responses. Malignant hyperthermia is triggered by succinylcholine and volatile anesthetic agents — treatment is dantrolene sodium plus external cooling; stop the triggering agent immediately. Anaphylaxis in the dental office requires IM epinephrine 0.3 mg, diphenhydramine, and activation of EMS. Syncope (vasovagal) is managed with Trendelenburg positioning and oxygen.
Patient preparation and monitoring documentation covers NPO guideline enforcement, thorough medical history review, ASA physical status classification (I–VI), informed consent documentation, the pre-anesthesia checklist, intraoperative vital sign recording intervals, and the Aldrete score criteria for determining post-anesthesia discharge readiness.
Pair this PDF with our interactive DAANCE practice test to test yourself with immediate scoring and detailed answer explanations. The online format lets you identify weak domains — pharmacology, airway, emergencies, or documentation — so you can focus your remaining study time where it matters most.
Try these questions from our free DAANCE - Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
Which action by a dental anesthesia assistant would MOST likely constitute practicing outside the scope of practice under state law?
Answer: B. Independently selecting and titrating IV propofol doses without dentist direction
Independently selecting and titrating anesthetic agents is reserved for licensed anesthesia providers; assistants may only administer under direct dentist direction as permitted by state law.
What does 'scope of practice' mean for a dental anesthesia assistant in the US?
Answer: B. The legally defined tasks the assistant is authorized to perform under supervision
Scope of practice refers to the legally defined set of duties a dental anesthesia assistant is authorized to perform under appropriate supervision in their state.
A dental anesthesia assistant notices a discrepancy in the controlled substance log. What is the appropriate first action?
Answer: C. Report it immediately to the supervising dentist
Any discrepancy in controlled substance records must be reported immediately to the supervising dentist for proper investigation and documentation.
A 58-year-old male patient with well-controlled type 2 diabetes and hypertension is scheduled for multiple extractions under IV sedation. His morning blood glucose reading was 150 mg/dL. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the dental anesthesia assistant to anticipate?
Answer: A. Scheduling the patient for the first appointment of the day.
Patients with diabetes should be scheduled for morning appointments to minimize the disruption of their meal and medication schedules and to avoid hypoglycemia. Withholding antihypertensives could lead to dangerously high blood pressure during the procedure. Prophylactic antibiotics are not routinely indicated solely based on diabetes unless there is a specific risk of infection. A local anesthetic with a vasoconstrictor is generally safe for patients with well-controlled diabetes and hypertension, and it helps to provide profound anesthesia.
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