Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) Program Gets Green Light at Central Penn College

Central Penn College is pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry has approved its new Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) program, with classes expected to start in its upcoming summer and fall terms.

This course of study will train current dental assistants to expand their skills by learning how to place composite and amalgam restorations, sealants, bases and liners, matrix bands, wedges and rubber dams.

Central Penn has offered its dentalassistantcertificateprogramsince2023. Dental assistants who want to broaden their skills and enhance their earning potential are encouraged to enroll in the EFDA program. 

Students can earn their EFDA certificate in as little as six months. The training involves both lecture and lab work to maximize knowledge and hands-on skills. Classes are scheduled for maximum flexibility to accommodate students who may be working full- or part-time. Students can expect that the program will include some of the most relevant and up-to-date training available in the area. 

EFDA students will apply for their State Board Licensure Exam upon successful completion of their program.  

“A shortage of dental assistants and expanded function dental assistants (EFDAs) in Pennsylvania has led to an access to dental care crisis. This crisis is about to become a catastrophe. According to a recent report from the Health Policy Institute (HPI) of the American Dental Association, a third of dental assistants in the U.S. expect to retire in five years or less,” shared Dr. Michael C. Verber, CEO of Verber Dental Group, based in Camp Hill.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of EFDAs is projected to grow 18 percent in the next 10 years, faster than nearly all other occupations.