STI is one of less than a handful of schools that graduate EFDAs because the Institute is CODA accredited and, under the leadership of Dental Assisting Program Director Dr. Tammi Hassan, teaches all expanded functions allowed in Massachusetts. STI’s Dental Assisting classes of 2015 and 2016 successfully passed the Dental Assisting National Boards and became nationally certified as CDAs. The graduates in both classes also became licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as Expanded Function Dental Assistants. This year, 16 out of 17 graduates are licensed as Expanded Function Dental Assistants.
Congratulations to the following 2017 Dental Assisting Graduates;
Stephanie Ameen, Brockton
Courtney Bezio, Bridgewater
Stephnie Bullard, Acushnet
Rylee Correia, Stoughton
Brandi Hume, Brockton
Melissa Jackson, Marshfield
Allisun Jiggens, Fairhaven
Dazzlin Jordan, Quincy
Cassandra O’Hearn, Brockton
Colin Oravec, Seekonk
Melanie Quinn, Canton
Chevelle Rego, Fall River
Kristin Rovner, Stoughton
Elizabeth Seetaram, Norton
Nicole Smith, West Bridgewater
Chasity Titus, Brockton
What is a Certified Dental Assistant? A CDA is an individual that has successfully passed all three parts of the Dental Assisting National Boards. Individuals that graduate from an ADA CODA (American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation) accredited Dental Assisting Program are eligible to sit for all three parts of the exam. There are currently eight ADA CODA accredited adult education programs in the State of Massachusetts which prepare students to become nationally certified as CDAs.
What does the Commonwealth require? The Commonwealth of Massachusetts dictates in their State Dental Practice Act what duties a dental assistant may perform and when they must be supervised by a dentist. As of January 2015, the Commonwealth requires all Dental Assistants must be licensed in the state. There are four levels; on-the-job trained, formally trained, certified assistant and the highest level which is Expanded Functions Dental Assistant. At present, there are very few EFDAs in the state because the individual must be a graduate from a CODA accredited school which teaches all the expanded functions allowed in the Commonwealth and a CDA. A person who does not graduate from a CODA accredited school may not become an EFDA.