Expanded Function Dental Assistant

The Charles Cohen and Rebecca Binder Expanded Function Dental Assistant Program

Mission: As the demand for Expanded Function Dental Assistants continues to rise, this program is designed to enhance students’ skill set as a dental professional, by combining chairside dental procedures, tooth anatomy, materials, and instrumentation. This course will prepare students to perform reversible restorative dental procedures in the dental office setting. Focusing on clinical practice, students will gain clinical experience performing expanded functions such as: placing, carving, and finishing amalgam and composite restorations, coronal polishing, sealants, fluoride application, rubber dam and matrix band applications, placing bases and liners, and taking impressions. A minimum of 120 hours of hands-on patient care during the student’s clinical externship will expose students to all aspects of the dental practice and they will receive clinical knowledge and skills. Upon completion of the program, students will find employment opportunities in a variety of dental settings as an Expanded Function Dental Assistant. After completion, students will be eligible and prepared to apply for the Expanded Functions Dental Assistant licensure exam offered by the State Board of Dentistry.

Program learning objectives.

• Perform reversible restorative procedures in accordance with the criteria set by the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry.
• Exhibit professional communication and behavior.
• Follow dental law and ethics set forth by the state.
• Understand the importance of continuing education after completion of the program.
• Perform Expanded Dental Assisting Functions such as coronal polishing, fluoride application, impressions for applications, provisional restorations, placement and removal of rubber dam and matrix band, and placement and finishing of amalgam and composite restorations under direct supervision of a dentist.

• Duration: Complete your training in just 6 months (10 credits), while maintaining your current job and advancing your careers.
• Format: Blended learning with online lectures and in-person Saturday morning labs.
• Convenience: Complete your 120-hour externship at your current dental office.
• Full and partial scholarships are available for Central Penn College’s EFDA Program.

To be considered for admission into a degree or professional certificate program, students must be a high school graduate or have received a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), Pennsylvania Home School Diploma or other recognized equivalency diploma. High School Students applying with an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher may be considered for regular admission. Students applying with a GPA below a 2.0 in high school or from another college or university, if accepted, will be admitted conditionally. Please submit an application for admission and a copy of high school and/or college transcript(s). Some applicants may be required to attend a personal interview with the Admissions Office.

An admission essay may be deemed optional for all applicants whose GPA meets or exceeds the minimum for acceptance into the desired program. For certificates and degrees in the Schools of Humanities and Business, the minimum GPA for acceptance is 2.0. For most Health Sciences certificates and degrees, unless otherwise specified, the minimum GPA is 2.2.

Admissions Requirements.

The EFDA program will limit enrollment due to classroom space and available externship sites. There will be minimum academic standards and students will be ranked according to the following admissions criteria:

1. High school graduate with a minimum GPA of 2.0 or a GED and one of the following (documentation required):

• Current Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) through the Dental Assisting National Board
• Current Pennsylvania State License as a Registered Dental Hygienist
• At least one year full-time clinical experience as a Dental Assistant.
• Students who are working for one year clinically as a Dental Assistant must have their dentist complete the “Verification of Clinical Dental Assisting Hours” form and the dentist or dental practice must return the form to Central Penn College's Admissions Department.

2. Students must present proof of PA x-ray certification and current CPR certification. 3. Students must complete the EFDA Entrance Examination. 4. References: All applicants are required to submit two professional references obtained within 12 months of the application deadline. 5. Students will be asked to write a professional essay of 500 words based on the topic “Why are you interested in becoming an EFDA”.

Online lecture classes with once-a-week Saturday morning clinical labs at the Dental Specialty Center, 2250 Millennium Way, Enola, PA 17025. Students can complete the 120-hour externship at their current dental office.

This program has Spring and Fall starts. Upcoming start dates: April 12, 2027, October 11, 2027.

Tuition and fees. Undergraduate tuition is $525 per credit for all majors. A Student/Technology Fee of $510 per term (5 or more credits) or $315 (4 or fewer credits) is required. A one-time $150 graduation fee applies.

Program fees. Expanded Function Dental Assistant lab fee (one term) $250; Expanded Function Dental Assistant supplies (one time) $350.

Certification and other costs not covered by tuition. Liability insurance approximately $55 (one time); license application fee $110; Pearson VUE testing center $99 (subject to change; not covered by tuition).

Books and other expenses. Variable expenses per term (estimates): textbooks $350–$450; course material fees approximately $50–$150 per course; personal $150–$250; transportation $150–$300. Uniforms (where required) are estimated at $100–$150.

Housing and meals. Campus housing per term: individual private bedroom $2,205, standard apartment bedroom $1,505, super suite bedroom $1,595, utilities $330. Meal plans per term range from $550 (Block 75) to $1,125 (14 Meal Plan); a $250 housing security deposit is required.

Financial aid. The catalog does not state whether this certificate is an eligible program for federal financial aid; contact the Financial Aid Office (financialaid@centralpenn.edu, 1-800-759-2727). To receive financial aid a student must be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program and be enrolled on at least a half-time basis (4 credits). Central Penn’s FAFSA school code is 004890.

Payment options. Tuition and expenses are paid each term approximately three weeks before the term starts. Central Penn has a short-term three-month payment plan through CASHNet that divides the balance of the tuition owed by three payments; there is a $35 non-refundable application fee paid with the first payment. An Employer Reimbursement Tuition Agreement Plan lets students who receive tuition reimbursement from their employer defer payment until the specified dates.

Military benefits. Military benefits accepted include the Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapters 30 and 1606), Veterans Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) and Yellow Ribbon Program, Dependents’ Education Assistance (Chapter 35) and Tuition Assistance.

Net price calculator. Use Central Penn’s Net Price Calculator at https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/centralpenn for an early estimate of your total annual cost.

Careers you can pursue. Expanded Function Dental Assisting.

College-wide outcome. 89.2% of Central Penn graduates were employed in their chosen field or continuing their education within one year of graduation (graduates July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025; One-Year Graduate Follow-up Report published July 1, 2026).