Certification series

Nitrous Oxide  Monitoring For Dental Assistants

Nitrous Oxide Oxygen Sedation Monitoring Certification Course for Dental Assistants
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Up Your Game.

Keep patients comfortable and safe during dental procedures during Nitrous Oxide Analgesia.

Nitrous oxide monitoring is one of the most requested skills dental offices look for in an assistant, and this course gets you there, on your schedule. Learn at home, at work, or anywhere else you have some quiet time. No classroom. No deadline. Just eight hours of self-paced learning you can knock out over a weekend or spread across a few weeks, whenever it fits your life. Stuck on something? Send a quick message or email and a real person will get you unstuck, so you’re never figuring it out alone.

By the end, you will walk away with the pharmacology, equipment knowledge, work practices, and patient monitoring skills to support safe, comfortable nitrous oxide and oxygen administration from start to finish. It is a credential that adds weight to your resume, earns trust from your dentist, and gives you one more tool that makes you stand out on any team.

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Dental Assistant Pathway

Eligibility

Active Dental Assisting Status

Most states require you to be actively working as a dental assistant and, in several states, to hold a specific registration or credential issued by the state dental board. Please check below to make sure that you meet those standards.

Current BLS Certification

BLS stands for Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers — a hands-on CPR course covering adult, child, and infant rescue techniques, two-person CPR, AED use, and choking response. Every state that permits dental assistants to monitor nitrous oxide requires current BLS. The in-person hands-on component is required everywhere — online-only BLS is not accepted in any state covered by this course. Certification must be from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross, available at heart.org or redcross.org.

State Board Criteria Guide

Upon successfully completing all course modules and passing the quizzes, you will receive a certificate of completion.

What that certificate allows you to do — and whether additional steps are required before you can begin monitoring — depends entirely on the state where you practice.

This guide walks you through exactly what to expect in each eligible state. Please read your state's section carefully before purchasing. If you have any questions about whether you qualify, contact us before enrolling. We will not encourage anyone to enroll in a course they may not be able to use it. Use the dropdown below to see if this certification meets the criteria for your state board. 
In Which State Do You Practice
North Carolina
✓ Certificate of Completion — No Additional Steps Required

What this course allows you to do

Completing DSI NO001 satisfies the educational requirements of the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners for dental assistants to monitor nitrous oxide and oxygen analgesia during dental procedures, under 21 NCAC 16O .0402.

Your certificate of completion is your authorization to begin monitoring. There is no state exam, no application to the state, and no waiting period. As soon as your certificate is in hand, you may begin monitoring under the direct supervision of a licensed North Carolina dentist.

Before you enroll — confirm you qualify

You must be actively working in a North Carolina dental office as a Dental Assistant I or Dental Assistant II. If you are a DA II in Training, you may not begin monitoring until after you have successfully completed this course.

You must also hold a current, hands-on BLS (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers) certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. Online-only CPR courses are not accepted.

What to do after you pass

  1. 1Complete all course modules and pass the final exam with a score of 75% or higher.
  2. 2Download and save your certificate of completion from DSI.
  3. 3Give a copy of your certificate to your supervising dentist. They are required to keep it on file at the practice.
  4. 4You are now authorized to monitor nitrous oxide under the direct supervision of a licensed North Carolina dentist.
ⓘ Know your role: Monitoring means observing the patient, watching the equipment, and notifying the dentist if anything changes. You may reduce the flow or turn off the equipment if needed. You may not start the nitrous oxide, increase the flow, or make decisions about the patient's level — those are the dentist's responsibility. Your dentist must also provide training on the specific equipment used in your office before you begin.
South Carolina
▶ Additional Steps Required After Completing This Course

What this course allows you to do

Completing DSI NO001 is the first step toward earning an official Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certificate from the South Carolina Board of Dentistry, authorized under S.C. Code § 40-15-105 and S.C. Regs. Ch. 39, § 39-13(9).

The state-issued certificate — not the DSI certificate alone — is what authorizes you to monitor in South Carolina. This pathway also requires you to pass a state exam through PSI Testing Centers after the Board reviews your application.

Before you enroll — confirm you qualify

South Carolina requires that you first hold Expanded Duty Dental Assistant (EDDA) status before pursuing this certification. This is a South Carolina designation that is separate from this course.

You qualify as an EDDA if you graduated from a CODA-accredited dental assisting program, or if you have at least two continuous years of full-time chairside dental assisting experience. If you are unsure whether you qualify, visit llr.sc.gov/bod before enrolling.

You must also hold a current, hands-on BLS certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross. Online-only CPR courses are not accepted.

What to do after you pass

  1. 1Complete all course modules and pass the DSI final exam with a score of 75% or higher.
  2. 2Download your DSI certificate of completion and keep it handy — you will need it for your state application.
  3. 3Visit llr.sc.gov/bod and download the Application for Certification in Nitrous Oxide Monitoring.
  4. 4Submit your completed application along with: your DSI certificate, proof of EDDA status, your current BLS card, copies of your photo ID and Social Security card, a notarized citizenship form, and the application fee of $25 plus a $10 certificate fee.
  5. 5Once the Board approves your application, you will receive instructions to schedule the State Board Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Exam through PSI Testing Centers.
  6. 6Pass the PSI state exam. The Board sets the passing standard and PSI will communicate your result.
  7. 7The South Carolina Board of Dentistry issues your official Nitrous Oxide Monitoring Certificate. That certificate is your authorization to monitor.
ⓘ Out-of-state course note: DSI NO001 is approved by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners. South Carolina allows applicants to submit an out-of-state course in place of a SC board-approved course, subject to the Board's review. We recommend contacting the SC Board at llr.sc.gov/bod before submitting to confirm their current process. Your course completion must have happened within the three years before you apply.
Tennessee
▶ Endorsement Added to Your RDA Registration

What this course allows you to do

Completing DSI NO001 satisfies the course requirement for nitrous oxide monitoring certification for dental assistants in Tennessee, under Rule 0460-04-.05, promulgated under T.C.A. §§ 63-5-105, 63-5-108, and 63-5-115.

At the end of this pathway, a nitrous oxide monitoring endorsement will be added to your Tennessee Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) registration by the Tennessee Board of Dentistry. That endorsement is your legal authorization to monitor. There is no separate certificate — the endorsement is recorded directly on your existing RDA registration.

Before you enroll — confirm you qualify

You must hold an active Tennessee RDA registration before you enroll in this course. A pending application or an expired registration does not qualify. If your registration is not currently active and in good standing, you must complete that process first. Visit tn.gov/health for information on Tennessee RDA registration.

You must also hold a current, hands-on BLS certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

What to do after you pass

  1. 1Confirm your Tennessee RDA registration is currently active before you enroll.
  2. 2Complete all course modules and pass the final exam with a score of 75% or higher (per Rule 0460-05). If you do not pass on the first try, you may retake the exam up to two more times. If you do not pass after three total attempts, you must retake the full course before trying again.
  3. 3DSI sends your course completion record directly to the Tennessee Board of Dentistry on your behalf — typically within seven days of passing. You do not need to mail anything yourself at this step.
  4. 4Log in to the Tennessee LARS system at lars.tn.gov, find your registration, and select the option to add Nitrous Oxide Monitoring certification. Because DSI sends your record directly, you will not need to upload documents.
  5. 5The Board adds the monitoring endorsement to your RDA registration. Display your current RDA certificate at your workplace.
ⓘ Keep your registration current: Your monitoring endorsement is only valid while your RDA registration remains active. If your registration expires, your authorization to monitor expires with it. Under Rule 0460-04-.05(6), you may not administer nitrous oxide as a dental assistant. You may reduce or turn off the flow only at the dentist's direct instruction or if the patient shows signs of distress.
New Hampshire
✓ Certificate of Completion — No State Permit Required

What this course allows you to do

Completing DSI NO001 satisfies the criteria for dental assistants to monitor nitrous oxide in New Hampshire under N.H. Admin. Code § Den 302.06(x), promulgated under the New Hampshire Dental Practice Act, RSA 317-A.

New Hampshire does not issue a separate state permit or certificate for dental assistants who monitor nitrous oxide. Your DSI certificate goes to your supervising dentist, who keeps it on file at the practice. There is no state exam, no state application, and no state-issued credential required.

Before you enroll — confirm you qualify

New Hampshire law requires that you have a minimum of 400 hours of hands-on, chairside dental assisting experience before you may take a nitrous oxide monitoring course. This is a firm regulatory requirement under § Den 302.06(w). If you have not yet reached 400 hours of clinical experience, you may not enroll until you do.

You must also hold a current, hands-on BLS certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross. Online-only CPR courses are not accepted.

What to do after you pass

  1. 1Confirm you have at least 400 hours of hands-on chairside dental assisting experience before you enroll.
  2. 2Complete all course modules and pass the final exam with a score of 75% or higher.
  3. 3Download your DSI certificate of completion.
  4. 4Give a copy of your certificate to your supervising dentist. They must keep it on file at the practice.
  5. 5You are now qualified to monitor nitrous oxide under the direct supervision of a licensed New Hampshire dentist.
ⓘ Already certified in another state? Under Den 302.06(4), if you are already authorized to monitor nitrous oxide in another state, you may be able to qualify in New Hampshire without retaking this course. You would submit written documentation of your training and a letter from a supervising dentist confirming your monitoring experience within the past two years. Contact the New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners at oplc.nh.gov for details.
North Dakota
▶ Endorsement Added to Your RDA Registration — Equivalency Review

What this course allows you to do

Completing DSI NO001 supports your application for a nitrous oxide monitoring endorsement on your North Dakota Registered Dental Assistant registration under NDAC 20-03-01-01.1, administered by the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners.

North Dakota accepts credentials issued by another state as the basis for this endorsement, provided the Board determines the training was substantially equivalent to North Dakota's requirements. Because DSI NO001 is approved by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, your certificate of completion and NC course approval documentation may be submitted to satisfy this provision.

Before you enroll — confirm you qualify

You must hold an active Registered Dental Assistant registration with the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners. Dental assistants without a current registration are not eligible for this endorsement.

You must also hold a current, hands-on BLS certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

What to do after you pass

  1. 1Confirm your North Dakota RDA registration is currently active before you enroll.
  2. 2Complete all course modules and pass the final exam with a score of 75% or higher.
  3. 3Download your DSI certificate of completion. DSI will also provide you with documentation confirming this course is approved by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners — you will include this with your submission to North Dakota.
  4. 4Contact the North Dakota Board of Dental Examiners at nddentalboard.org to confirm their current submission process and any required forms for out-of-state endorsements.
  5. 5Submit your DSI certificate, the NC course approval documentation provided by DSI, and your current BLS card to the Board.
  6. 6The Board adds a monitoring endorsement to your RDA registration card once the equivalency review is complete.
ⓘ Monitoring only: This pathway covers monitoring only. The North Dakota permit to administer nitrous oxide requires a separate 12-hour board-approved course with a clinical component — DSI NO001 does not satisfy that permit. You may not begin monitoring in North Dakota until the Board has officially issued your endorsement.
My State Is Not Listed
Please contact us before enrolling

DSI NO001 may not currently satisfy your state's specific certification or permit requirements for dental assistant nitrous oxide monitoring.

We are actively working to expand our state approvals and will update this page as new pathways are confirmed. In the meantime, please reach out to us before you purchase. We will let you know whether this course will work for your state — and if it won't, we will tell you so before you spend any money.

We want every student who enrolls to be able to use their certification. If we can't support your pathway yet, we'll say so.

Contact us

What's included in this online course?

Step-by-step learning

We will help you become an expert in the clinical responsibilities of Nitrous Oxide Monitoring.

Study at your own pace

You can enroll in this course whenever you want, and study at your own time and pace.

Unique learning experience

You will learn from rich multimedia presentations. Interactive content with self-assessments and quizzes, to solidify your knowledge.

Ryan Woodman, D.M.D.

Dr. Woodman graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1995. He has been in dentistry for over 30 years and authored multiple articles. A Dawson devotee, he has experience with all aspects of general dentistry including cosmetics, orthodontics, and complex reconstructions, often working as part of a multispecialty team. He is well versed in treating patients under nitrous oxide as well as conventional sedation and developed this curriculum from thousands of cases of experience. He and his wife, Dr. Victoria Malz founded the Dental Staff Institute in 2008 with the goal of providing exceptional education for the profession. 

Victoria Malz, D.M.D.

Dr. Malz graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1996. She has been in dentistry for nearly 30 years. Se has experience with all aspects of general dentistry including pediatrics, special-needs and orthodontics. She founded the Dental Staff Institute in 2008 with her husband. She has acted as the Director of the school for nearly twenty years, creating relationships with students and other professionals by providing exceptional education fopportunities.
Patrick Jones - Course author
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