Thank you for your interest in UMA's Expanded Functions Dental Assisting (EFDA) program. We currently do not have a new information session scheduled, however, please still complete this form and someone from the dental program will reach out to you. You can also email courtney.noonan@maine.edu to ask any questions about the program including how to apply.
The University of Maine at Augusta Dental Health Programs offers an Expanded Functions Dental Assisting (EFDA) program; this program includes two semester long courses taught by a local dentist with the assistance of an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. In the Fall preclinical semester of EFDA, the course includes an online lecture with on campus laboratory sessions scheduled on Fridays. During this phase of the program, students complete a variety of expanded function skills on a typodont with direction from the course instructors as well as mentoring from a sponsoring dentist.
Upon successful completion of the Fall semester pre-clinical coursework, students are allowed to advance into the spring semester where they will complete their clinical EFDA requirements. During this clinical semester students are allowed to perform EFDA skills on a patient under the direct supervision of a sponsoring dentist. The fall semester typically requires approximately 5-10 hours of time in a practice outside of a student’s work schedule to complete the laboratory course requirements. This requirement is in addition to the lecture component, which typically requires 4-8 hours a week.
