Expanded Functions Dental Assisting
Are you a Dental Assistant, looking to enhance your knowledge and skills as a dental professional?
Harcum College provides opportunities for greater earning potential and job satisfaction through our Continuing Studies Expanded Functions Dental Assisting program. An Expanded Functions Dental Assistant is responsible for all of the tasks of a Dental Assistant, as well as placing sealants, and placing and carving amalgam and composite restorations. The EFDA may also place bases and liners as well as place and remove matrix bands, wedges and rubber dams.
Prerequisites for Admission
- PA X-Ray certification
- CPR current certification
- CDA or successful completion of assessment exam or a Registered Dental Hygienist
- Documentation of at least One (1) year FT clinical assisting experience
Preparatory courses are also available in Dental Anatomy Review, Radiology Review and CDA Review.
Program Sites
- Berks County—Saturdays
- Lancaster County—Evenings
- Lehigh County—Saturdays (coming soon)
- Harcum College, Bryn Mawr—Saturdays or Evenings
Educational and Certification Requirements
Expanded Functions Dental Assistants must complete a minimum of 200 hours in a Continuing Studies EFDA program, or graduate from an EFDA program at an accredited institution.
EFDA’s need PA Radiology certification for taking Radiographs. EFDAs need to pass an examination to hold current EFDA certification to practice.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The EFDA program tuition is approximately $4000.00, depending on the supplies a student requires. The cost is calculated by the per-credit hour tuition price set at Harcum each year and is subject to change. Applicants to the EFDA program are not eligible for government based financial aid such as Pell Grants and Stafford Loans.
Brochures are available for PNC Bank and Sallie Mae, or applicants can make private arrangements for funding. For additional information, visit www.FinAid.org.
Courses
The Continuing Studies EFDA program consists of the two EFDA courses described below. During the program, students also learn the dental law and the rules and regulations of the State Board of Dentistry. Upon successful completion of both courses, participants will be eligible to apply for EFDA Certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Once approved by the Board, the student can register to take the Pennsylvania EFDA Certification Examination.
EFDA I & EFDA I Lab- DA 260
This is a 15 week course designed as an intensive introduction to the basics of restorative dentistry for the Dental Auxiliary, including rubber dam applications; placing sealants, and placing, carving, and finishing amalgam restorations; light cured composite restorations, and crown and bridge temporary restorations. Skills are attained through both lecture and hands-on technical laboratory sessions. Students will need to purchase texts, typodonts and purchase or borrow necessary instruments.
EFDA II- DA 261
After successful completion of EFDA I & EFDA I Lab, the student will gain clinical experience performing expanded functions in their current practice for 15 weeks.
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EFDA professionals have become key to the growth and success of the dental profession in recent decades. Many dental practices depend on EFDA’s to keep the quality of treatment high and the process of treatment efficient. The field is growing rapidly. The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook reports excellent job prospects for dental assistants. Employment is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014, and is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations over the 2004-14 projection period.
For More Information...
Theresa Groody
Assistant Dean for Dental Programs
School of Continuing Studies
610.526.1860
tgroody@harcum.edu
OR
Office of Continuing Studies
610.526.6083
bakers@harcum.edu
Click here to access information about the EFDA program in Fall '09
Click here to see a list of current courses, and to load and print a Continuing Studies registration form.
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