FORTIS Programs

Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA) Courses & Training | FORTIS

If you are a Certified Dental Assistant who wants to advance your career and increase your expertise in the dental field, you will want to consider taking FORTIS’s expanded functions dental assistant classes to become an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA). As an EFDA, you will enjoy providing more hands-on care to your patients and performing more advanced duties at your job.

Expanded Functions Dental Assistant Careers

EFDAs can get certified in specific specialty areas, such as certified preventive functions dental assistant, certified preventive orthodontic assistant or certified restorative functions dental assistant.

Depending on your certification, state of employment and employer, your duties may include:

  • Performing coronal polish
  • Applying sealants
  • Administering anesthesia
  • Applying fluoride
  • Performing certain orthodontic work

EFDAs can perform all the duties of a dental assistant, including providing patient care, taking x-rays, recordkeeping and scheduling appointments. They also perform certain advanced duties, which will vary by state, place of employment and any special certifications that have been received. EFDAs often usually earn higher salaries than dental assistants due to the additional training they receive.

Expanded function dental assisting careers are expected to grow with dental assistant careers, as ongoing research continues to link oral health and general health, increasing the demand for preventative dental services. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of dental assistants is projected to grow over the next several years.

FORTIS’s Expanded Functions Dental Assistant Program

FORTIS’s Expanded Functions Dental Assistant [EFDA] program is designed to prepare students for entry-level dental careers working alongside dentists. Our classes teach a variety of specialized skills and include classroom theory, practical experience and field experience, followed by an externship in a dental healthcare facility.

In the Expanded Functions Dental Assistant courses at FORTIS, students are taught the following:

  • Exposing, processing and mounting dental radiographs (x-rays)
  • Performing dental instrument sterilization duties
  • Preparing cases to be sent to an outside laboratory
  • Placing dental restorations
  • Word processing
  • Managing files and records
  • Scheduling appointments
  • Handling other front office duties and more

The EFDA program at FORTIS also prepares students in the various administrative and clerical procedures required in a dental office including word processing, managing files and records, scheduling appointments and handling other front office duties.

After completing FORTIS’s expanded function dental assisting program, you will be qualified to perform all the duties of a dental assistant, in addition to certain advanced duties (specific duties will vary by state, the dental office employed in and types of certification(s) attained).

Take the Next Step

Enroll in FORTIS’s Expanded Function Dental Assistant program today to get started on your advanced dentistry career path! Contact us today to learn more about our program in Pennsylvania.

Offered in the following locations

Amanda R. - Fortis Institute in Scranton