Programs: School of Dental Medicine
Graduate/Professional
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Professional Certification
- Craniofacial, Surgical, and Special Care Orthodontics, Professional Certification
- Dental Medicine, DMD
- Dental Public Health, Professional Certification
- Endodontics, MSD
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, MSD
- Oral Medicine, MSD
- Orthodontics, MSD
- Pediatric Dentistry, MSD
- Periodontics, MSD
Dual Degrees
Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary (EFDA)
The School of Dental Medicine offers a non-degree certificate course in expanded dental functions to dental auxiliaries with requisite training and experience. This continuing education program prepares the student to take an examination administered by the Ohio Commission on Dental Testing or the American Board of Dental Examiners, for Expanded Function Dental Auxiliaries.
The Expanded Function Dental Auxiliary course is less than a part-time program and includes didactic, pre-clinical laboratory, and clinical training. It is affiliated with several hospitals and health agencies in the Cleveland metropolitan area, where clinical training takes place for those who do not have support in their place of employment. Student clinical experience is expected to occur in the student’s place of employment. Students are selected for admission on the basis of their performance on an entrance examination administered by the program faculty.
Upon successful completion of this accredited program, an auxiliary is eligible to sit for the state certifying examination provided by the Commission on Dental Testing in Ohio or the American Board of Dental Examiners.
Admission
Information about admission to the EFDA program can be found on the School of Dental Medicine website.
Program of Study
Students begin the program by learning tooth anatomy, contour, and contact using wax. Then students gradually advance through one, two, three, and complex surface restorations of amalgam and composite on the typodont. Rubber dam placement, gingival retraction cord placement, sealant placement, Interim Therapeutic Restorations, and Silver Diamine Fluoride placements are also learned.
As a condition of participation in the program, the employing dentist must permit the EFDA trainee to perform intra-oral restorative procedures in the dental office after the student has successfully completed first-semester competencies in amalgam, composite, and sealant procedures.
Clinical patient experience is completed during the second semester at the dental office where the student is employed. For students who are unable to complete clinical hours at their place of employment, limited clinical placement opportunities may be available at MetroHealth Hospital/clinics or at Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Hospital Dental Clinic in Youngstown, Ohio.
Mock board examinations are administered during the second semester and are designed to simulate the testing conditions of the official state licensure examination.
Upon successful completion of the course, graduates are eligible to sit for the state board examination administered by either the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA) or American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). Examination candidates are responsible for providing their own materials; school-owned instruments are on loan for use during the examination to recent program graduates.
In accordance with various sections of the Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules governing certification and licensure, individuals with felony or misdemeanor convictions may be ineligible to take licensure or certification examinations, may be denied acceptance at clinical or practicum sites, or may have restrictions placed on their ability to practice. For additional information, students are encouraged to contact the Dean of Student Services and the appropriate licensure or certification board.
- Lecture and lab during the first semester
- All day lab/clinic second semester
- An optional state board review course is offered at the end of the second semester, after completion of the EFDA Program in May for an additional fee
Lectures and labs
- 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
- Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF)placement
- Interim Therapeutic Restorations (ITR) placement
- Rubber dam placement
- Gingival retraction methods
- EFDA laws and rules