A three node triangular element with drilling rotations incorporating improved higher-order zig-zag theory(HZZT) is developed to accurately assess the stress distribution through thickness of the laminated plate and analyze the vibration of pretwisted composite plates with embedded damping layer. Shear force matching conditions are enforced along the interfaces between the embedded damping patch and the border patch. The natural frequencies and model loss factors are calculated for cantilevered pretwisted composite blade with damping core with the present triangular element, and compared to experiments and MSC/NASTRAN using a layered combination of plate and solid elements.