and very supportive during the mentoring process. Everyone I encountered during my process and the course was willing to help me further my knowledge in any way they could.
What did you like most about the EFDA course you took? The new training facil- ity was very well equipped and comfort- able, which made learning much easier. I also really appreciated the organization of the course itself, making it easy and clear with step-by-step coursework as well as hands-on training. The training day gives you a chance to get the doctors input on what you may need to improve on while you still had time to go back into your clinic and practice before the exam. I left that day with a little relief knowing exactly what I needed to still work on.
How has your EFDA certification been meaningful to you and your dental career? A sense of accomplishment within myself and pride within my career choice. I was able to expand my skill sets and take on greater responsibilities in patient care. It has given me the confidence and abilities that I needed to continue my growth as a dental assistant and set the foundation for career growth within the dental field.
What changes have you noticed in your workflow, confidence or patient care? My EFDA certification changed my con- fidence, I no longer see myself as just a dental assistant however now I see myself as someone who has extensive knowl- edge and value to the patient care I am providing. Patient care and workflow have changed because I am able to take on the responsibility of a patient helping the appointment move along faster with less stress and waiting time for the patient.
If you could say one thing to someone considering this course, what would it be? EFDA certifications are an investment in yourself, not just the company you work for. This course is made to help you grow and become a confident EFDA with- in the dental field; the confidence and skill set you will leave with is something that will benefit you for years to come.
Growth in MDA Allied Education Courses by MANDY LEWIS T
he demand for EFDA training and other dental team education continues and the MDA is work- ing to meet that demand with excellence! This has been achieved in large part due to the support of members and the addition of the Clinical Training Center at the MDA Executive Office in Jefferson City.
BASIC SKILLS UPDATE
The MDA held its first in-person Basic Skills Review Course in October 2022. Since then, we have hosted 11 courses and helped prepare more than 275 dental assistants in taking the Missouri Basic Skills Exam. The MDA in-person review is the only one of its kind in Missouri and includes interactive discussion and Q&A paired with flash- card study aids that assistants take notes with during the course. Instructor Linda Twehous, who has been a dental assisting educator since 2003, focuses on the specific topics from the DANB exam outline dur- ing the review. The MDA hosts the review course usually once per quarter, based on demand.
NEW ADDITIONS: NITROUS
New in 2025, the MDA began hosting Nitrous Oxide Monitoring courses at the clinical training center as well. We consis- tently heard from our members that these courses were hard to find in Missouri and not hosted often enough. EFDA committee members, Drs. Emily Mattingly and Ron Wilkerson, worked with Linda Twehous to develop the course curriculum and hands- on clinical. We hosted our first course in March and will have our third course this year on October 3. These courses are also held quarterly based on demand. We espe- cially thank our member dentists who assist with training this course: Drs. Phil Batson, Columbia; Eric Burton, Columbia; Emily Mattingly, Chillicothe; and Ron Wilkerson, St. James.
EFDA BY THE NUMBERS
Since 1998, the MDA has offered EFDA training. In the early years, we would hold
six to eight courses annually, typically certifying between 75 to 100 auxiliaries per year. In 2024, we held our first courses in the Clinical Training Center. The MDA held 24 EFDA courses last year and certified 299 auxiliaries. That was one more course than in 2023, but we were able to certify 80 additional auxiliaries due to the clinical capacity. This year, as of August 19, we have scheduled 21 courses and registered 218 aux- iliaries, with more courses planned through the end of the year.
NEW & MORE EFDA TRAINERS
We couldn’t have the success of hosting the EFDA courses in the MDA training center without the dedication of dentist trainers. We are delighted that since the change to hosting at the MDA headquarters, we have had new and more members training. We are grateful they see the value of the EFDA program and upskilling team members to provide important patient care, and to have their interaction and instruction with students. We thank the following EFDA trainers who have taught in the new training center since its grand opening (some of these both EFDA and Nitrous courses): Drs. Phil Batson, Brandon Bennett, Audra Berquist, Ellen Zust Blattel, Tate Brunelle, Heidi Butts, Jon Copeland, Mariel Cotton, Jackie Demko, Dave Dumbach, Emily Hayes, Van Hopkins, Paden John, Jordan Kane, Dustin Kim, Taylor Little, Emily Mattingly, Rolfe McCoy, Nick McNutt, Genny Mennemeyer, Ashley Meyer, Jackie Miller, Merle Nunemaker, Kelechi Onyejiaka, Teddy Rogers, Moritz Schweiger, Susan Sherrick, Tom Stone, Chloe Stuck, Teresa Tedesco, Caitlyn Vernon, Akshay Vij, Wendy Weimer and Ron Wilkerson.
Mandy is the MDA EFDA Program Manager. For questions, email
mandy@modentalmail.org. Learn more and register at
moefda.org.
ISSUE 3 | FALL 2025 | focus 33
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