NEWARK – Certified Dental Assistants (CDAs) can advance their career with a new certificate at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC). The Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA) Certificate launches in autumn semester, which begins Aug. 24. New students can apply now for free.
An Ohio EFDA is permitted to perform advanced remediable intra-oral procedures that involve the placement of preventative or restorative materials such as sealants and fillings. Ohio EFDAs commonly take the operator’s position after the dentist is finished removing the diseased tooth structure. The EFDA then places and finishes the restorations under the supervision of the dentist.
Ohio EFDAs are registered by the Ohio State Dental Board. Graduates of COTC’s EFDA Certificate program are eligible to sit for the EFDA exam through the Commission on Dental Testing.
The EFDA Certificate is just two courses; students take one class in autumn semester and one class in spring semester. This certificate is offered through a partnership with Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County (CTEC). Classes are held in CTEC’s dental lab at 150 Price Road in Newark.
Admission requirements
COTC’s EFDA Certificate program is open to current CDAs with at least 2 years of chairside experience in a dental office. Students must also have the American Heart Association’s Basic Life Support (BLS) for health-care providers including adults, children and infants certification or complete the college’s EMS-100 course.
Visit go.cotc.edu/EFDA to learn more or contact the COTC admissions office at 740.366.9222 or cotcadmissions@mail.cotc.edu to schedule an appointment with an admissions representative.
Financial assistance
The EFDA certificate is eligible for a short-term certificate grant available to students with demonstrated financial need as well as students who are currently in or exiting foster care. Each student may receive a one-time grant of up to $2,000 to assist with tuition and fees (the grant does not include or cover the cost of books and supplies).
