With her youthful beauty and her early start in acting, Dash has been cast most often as high school students, daughters of the protagonist, or smart and upwardly mobile ingenues. Feature work began with a role in "Enemy Territory" (1987) and she soon thereafter played Richard Pryor's rebellious daughter in the formula-bound comedy "Moving" (1988). A first lead in "Black Water/Tennessee Nights" (1989) only hit the US market when it was released on video five years later. Dash concentrated on TV for a while, but later appeared as the romantic interest in the popular action comedy "Mo' Money" (1992), although the film was centered on the antics of Damon and Marlon Wayans. After a supporting role in "Renaissance Man/By the Book" (1994), she enjoyed a breakthrough in features in the second lead of the surprise hit "Clueless" (1995). As Dionne, a Beverly Hills teen who shares with best friend Cher (Alicia Silverstone) a passion for fashion as well as a famous pop singer's name, Dash gave a winning performance in this satire of 90s materialism, one she reprised for the sitcom of the same name (ABC, 1996-97; UPN, 1997-99). She kept busy in features as well with a role in the crime drama "Cold Heart" (1997).

In 2003, Dash appeared in the comedy feature "View From The Top," joining an A-list cast which included Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate and Kelly Preston.