Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA)

Fees

• Course Fee $4,300
• Group Rate Fee
  $3,880 Each - Two or more from the same office/corporation ($1,000 deposit per attendee due at registration)
• MWU CDMA Alumni Rate $3,870

Deposit does not guarantee acceptance into the program until the Program Application is complete and all documentation has been met. Contact Ms. Clements at 623-572-3870. If application is not accepted, a $50.00 processing fee will be retained.

Additional Payment Options

We accept checks, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. All checks should be made payable to: Midwestern University.

Mail or Email Registration

Complete the following steps to mail or email your registration.

• Complete the Mail-In Registration Form (PDF).
• Email the completed form (with payment details filled out) to mcleme@midwestern.edu.

Or

• Mail the completed form and payment to:

  Ms. Martha Clements
  College of Dental Medicine-AZ Midwestern University
  Office of Continuing Dental Education
  19555 N 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85308

Contact Ms. Clements at mcleme@midwestern.edu or call 623-572-3870 for any questions and additional payment options.

Group Rates  

Group rates are based on two (2) or more participants from the same office/employer.  In the event that the number of participants drops below two (2), the group rate will be null and void and full tuition rate of $4,300 per attendee will be applicable.

Cancellations and Refunds

This program has a different Cancellations and Refunds policy compared to our standard lectures and workshops.  Please read carefully.

Full tuition refunds less $250 are issued if the participant notifies the Dental CE Office in writing (email is acceptable) of their cancellation four weeks in advance of first day of class.

However, no refunds will be issued for cancellations received three days prior to the day of the course or in the event of a no-show. A $50 fee will be assessed for all returned payments. Returned payments include returned checks and dishonored credit or debit card payments.

Important Note

The Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona Continuing Dental Education (MWUCDM-AZ CDE) office reserves the right to end registration when the enrollment limit is reached and to cancel, modify or alter content, faculty or location for any course if circumstances indicate such a change is advisable. If the MWUCDM-AZ CDE finds it necessary to cancel a course, a full refund will be issued. No travel expenses will be refunded to the registrant in the event of course cancellation or cancellation of any registration.

• Complete MWU CDMA EFDA CE course application and meet all deadlines.
• Deposit does not guarantee acceptance into the program until the Program Application is complete and all documentation has been met.

Eligibility

Applicants must provide all necessary documentation when applying:

• Dental Assistants
  • Registered Dental Hygiene diploma (copy)
• Foreign Trained Dentists must submit transcripts from the dental school attended that have been evaluated (U.S. course equivalency) by Educational Course Evaluators, and must show proof of TOEFL Examination results (English proficiency must be demonstrated by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The minimum score to be considered for admission, depending on the format of the examination, is 577 (paper-based) or 90 (internet-based).  Applicants are exempt from the TOEFL requirements if they:
  • Speak English as their native language
  • Have a bachelor's degree or higher at a U.S. college or university or a foreign university where instruction was in English

Frequently Asked Questions

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the MWU CDMA EFDA Program, the participant will be better able to:

• Mix alginate impression material and place coronal polish and sealants, apply varnish, and perform suture removal.
• Fabricate single unit provisional.
• Understand and apply techniques of placement and removal of dental dams.
• Understand and apply the relevance of amalgam restorations.
• Place Class I and Class V amalgam restorations.
• Place Class II amalgam restorations utilizing Tofflemire retainers, matrices and wedges.
• Understand and apply bonding protocol and relevance of composite materials.
• Complete Class I & V Composite restorations.
• Understand and apply technique of placement, finishing, and polishing Class II composite restorations utilizing Garrison Rings/Wedges system.
• Understand and apply techniques of Mylar strip and wedge system for Class III and IV composite restorations.
• Understand and apply techniques involved in selection, trimming, fitting and cementation of prefabricated crowns for pediatric teeth.
• Understand and apply techniques involved in performing Maxillary and Mandibular quadrant dentistry.
• Successfully prepare to take the Dental Assisting National Board Exams (DANB): Anatomy, Morphology and Physiology (AMP), Temporaries (TMP), Restorative Functions (RF) in preparation of applying for the Arizona Restorative Functions Certificate Requirements.
  Perform restorative procedures required by the ASBDE under the supervision of a licensed dentist.
   

Educational Expectations

The EFDA Program is a very rigorous and challenging course. Participants are expected to attend ALL lecture, laboratory and clinical sessions.

Participants will be taught by the same faculty instructors who teach the MWU College of Dental Medicine students during the week.   Faculty attention during hands-on exercises will be strengthened by a participant faculty ratio of one instructor for every six (6) participants.  It is important to the MWU faculty that participants comprehend and meet their goals.

Participants must be very familiar with restorative procedures, be able to use both direct vision and indirect mirror vision to complete and evaluate restorations, and will have to perfect fine motor skills to enable the accurate and safe application of dental hand pieces and instruments.

The EFDA Program utilizes digital learning support materials to supplement in-class learning (34 HOURS). Therefore, participants must have access to a computer to utilize the provided thumb-drive. Printed materials are not provided.

Instruction takes place at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine's state-of-the-art student Simulation Clinic. Each participant will have their own workstation, handpieces, instruments, materials, typodont, adjustable overhead lamp, and life-like patient simulator to learn skills necessary in the restoration of teeth as described within this document. A typodont will be loaned to participants for additional practice.

It is the responsibility of the employer-dentist to allow the EFDA trainee to perform intra-oral procedures (restorations) in the office once the participant has successfully passed the amalgam, composite, and sealant competencies.

Program Performance Requirements

All participants admitted to the Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) Continuing Education Program must be able to meet all of the following requirements:

• Participants must be familiar with restorative procedures.
• Four-handed general dentistry experience is expected.
• Participants must be able to use both direct vision and indirect mirror vision to complete and evaluate restorations, and will have to perfect fine motor skills to enable the accurate and safe application of dental hand pieces and instruments.
• Participants must be familiar with basic dental terms and nomenclature.
• Participants must be able to function effectively under the time constraints of the program and display flexibility in the event of changing lab and clinical situations.
• Participants must be able to apply didactic learning (theory) to clinical situations.
• Participants must be able to hear and communicate effectively, follow directions, and act professionally in class. 
• Participants must be able to read the printed words in EFDA textbooks and supplemental information, observe various dental instrument angulations and apply the concepts appropriately.
• Participants' eyesight must be able to visualize fine detail (either naturally or corrected), have depth perception, and have the ability to visualize three-dimensional objects.
• For everyone's safety, each participant must be physically free of the use of non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and alcohol.

An EFDA must have use of both hands, dexterity in the fingers, and tactile sensitivity to manipulate dental instruments, materials, dental hand pieces, and operate dental equipment as well as the ability to manipulate the floor rheostat for hand piece operation, and other adjunct dental equipment. The participant must be able to work from a dental operator stool in order to perform dental procedures. The ability to sit and stand for a duration of time is also necessary.  

Other specific requirements include color discrimination (differentiation of various shades of color and gradations from black to white); manual dexterity/motor coordination (discern changes in surface textures by manipulating dental instruments, control exertion of hand/finger pressure); hand-eye coordination (transfer of visual input into motor output); physical communications (hear commands through operator's face mask); visual acuity (identify the working ends of various dental instruments and implements at a two foot distance); form/spatial ability (view in three-dimensional relationships, distinguish subtle changes from one form or shape to another, discriminate intricate measurements); and language development. 

Typical Class Schedule

• 7:45 a.m. - Sign-In
• 8:00 a.m. - Course Instruction Begins
• 10:00 a.m. - Break
• 10:15 a.m. - Instruction
• 12:00 p.m. - Lunch Provided
• 1:00 p.m. - Instruction
• 2:30 p.m. - Break
• 2:45 p.m. - Instruction
• 4:30 p.m. - End of Instruction: Questions and answers
   

Course Content
Lectures and laboratory skills will cover the following topics divided into three (3) modules. The three (3) modules will include:

• Nomenclature
• Caries classification
• Cavity preparation
• Oral anatomy
• Dental morphology
• Periodontium
• Histology
• Basics of occlusion
• Ergonomics
• Instrumentation
• Pulp protection
• Dental materials
• Matrix and wedge techniques
• Temporization
• Amalgam placement and carving
• Polishing amalgams
• Composite placement
• Composite finishing and polishing
• Posterior composites
• Pit and fissure sealant placement
• Rubber dam placement
• Mock Examination
   

Module Descriptions

• Module 1:  
  • Anatomy, Morphology and Physiology
  • Preliminary dental charting
  • Infection control/OSHA
  • Alginate & Study Casts/Capital Form
  • Coronal Polish-Stain removal
  • Topical fluoride/Varnish
  • Placing and removing periodontal dressing
  • Suture removal
  • Application of pit and fissure sealants
• Module 2:
  • Interim therapeutic restorations
  • Temporaries/Provisional Restorations
  • Fabricating multiple-unit provisional bridges
  • Temporary removable prosthesis
  • Packing and removal of retraction cord
  • Impressions
• Module 3:
  • Rubber Dam
  • Matrices Restorative Functions
  • Cavity liners/bases (purpose, materials, application), cavity classification, amalgam placement (contour, finish, materials-Hg), amalgam polishing tip selection and use, composite, glass ionomer and compomer (etch/bond, place & contour, cure, finish, adjust and polish, materials, physical properties, composition, shade selection.  SS crowns (size, place, fit in primary and permanent dentition), Procedural considerations (moisture, indications/contraindications, home care/pt. education)

DANB prep review: 
Dex Competency test:

Additional Resources

Alexandra Pierre-Bez, D.M.D. MWU CDMA Associate Professor
Dr. Alexandra Pierre-Bez is an Assistant Professor in the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine - AZ (CDMA). She is an alumnus of Midwestern University and practiced general dentistry at a federally qualified health center in Somerton, Arizona prior to returning to CDMA as a faculty member. She enjoys dental education as it combines the opportunity to work with dental students and conduct research.

Tatiyana Trowbridge, D.D.S., M.Ed.,  MWU CDMA Associate Professor
Dr. Tatiyana Trowbridge is an Assistant Professor at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (MWU CDMA).  She graduated from University of Washington School of Dentistry in 2001 and prior to joining the MWU CDMA faculty she owned and operated her private family dental practice in North Scottsdale.  Dr. Trowbridge also served as an adjunct faculty at Phoenix College Dental Hygiene and Dental assisting programs where she helped train future RDH's and DA's. Dr. Trowbridge believes that an expanded duty assistant is essential for a successful dental practice.

Note: Instructors may change.