In today’s competitive times, just becoming a dental assistant is not enough if you want to grow your career in the dental field and enjoy a higher remuneration.
The need of the hour is to excel in other dental assisting functions and become an EFDA professional who has much more responsibilities to manage within a dental clinic.
EFDAs play a significant role in a dental clinic and can help the dentist with many complicated procedures while also managing routine tasks within the clinic. Apart from the remuneration factor, an EFDA also enjoys more admiration and respect as a qualified professional in the dental field.
In this blog, we share more information on why getting an EFDA certification is important and how you can go about becoming one.
The role of an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant (EFDA)
An EFDA is considered a senior member of the dental team and usually works with the team of dental assistants to manage the dental clinic and ensure its smooth functioning.
Some of the essential tasks that an EFDA can help a dentist with are:
- Preparing patients for dental procedures
- Preparing treatment rooms. Ensuring all the equipment required by the dentist is available and in optimum condition
- Coordinating with the team of dental assistants on different procedures
- Reviewing dental records, conducting patient follow-ups, etc.
- Taking and developing X-rays.
- Applying anesthesia or pain medication during a cavity filling.
Why is EFDA certification important?
While some states may not have mandatory certification requirements to become a dental assistant, you need to get EFDA certification to play a more significant role as a dental assistant and help the dentist with specific procedures and patient care. Getting an EFDA certification is also crucial if you want to establish yourself as a dental professional and seek out other opportunities in the future.
How to get your EFDA certification?
Becoming an EFDA requires dental assisting aspirants to undergo comprehensive training in the following fields.
- Dental Materials
- Dental Anatomy, including the head and neck
- Office Procedures
- Charting and Terminology
- Dental Psychology
- Radiology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Dental Pharmacology
- Preventative Care and Procedures
The training needs to be conducted by a school that has been approved by the Florida Board of Dentistry, such as AAA SoDa, which offers an in-depth 90-day Entry Level Dental Assisting with Expanded Functions Radiology program.
Once you complete your Expanded Functions Dental Assisting & Radiology training, you can appear for the Florida Board of Dentistry Approved certification exams, which AAA School of Dental Assisting conducts.
EFDA Certification with AAA SoDA
As a dental school accredited with the Florida Board of Dentistry, AAA SoDA is approved to conduct all dental certification exams, including EFDA on its behalf. You can also take a one-day exam and get certified in EFDA without the need for any instructions at AAA Soda.
To know more about the EFDA program at AAA SoDA or take your EFDA exam, we suggest scheduling a complimentary “Meet The Team” session with the team members at AAA SoDA.
That will help you learn more about a career in dental assisting and embark on a highly rewarding career with an outstanding work-life balance.
