Abstract
Purpose: Various workforce models, including the expanded function dental auxiliary (EFDA), have been created as a means to address the crisis in oral health access. Limited assessments have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of the EFDA. The purpose of the study was to assess the implementation, geographic practice patterns and attitudes regarding the education of EFDAs in the state of Maine.
Methods: Licensure information on the Expanded Function Dental Auxiliaries (EFDA) in Maine was obtained from the Board of Dental Practice. A 19-item survey consisting of closed and open-ended questions pertaining to practice demographics, settings, procedures and attitudes towards basic and ongoing continuing education was sent both via email and traditional mail to all EFDAs licensed in Maine (n=75). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
Results: A response rate of 59% (n=43) was achieved. A majority of EFDAs (60%, n=26) were employed in private dental practices; 12% (n=5) practiced in a community/public health setting. Regarding access to care, 51% (n=22) stated that their practice did not accept Medicaid coverage. However, over half indicated feeling that they were making moderate to significant impact on increasing access. A little more than one third (35%, n=17) reported working in Penobscot County, which is not a designated provider shortage area. A majority of respondents reported less than half of their continuing education courses were relevant to EFDA practice.
Conclusions: EFDA practitioners are providing needed oral health care services, however they may not be providing access to care for the intended at-risk and underserved populations in designated geographic areas. Practice patterns of EFDAs in Maine should be assessed in greater depth.
- access to care
- dental workforce models
- expanded function dental auxiliaries
- allied dental personnel
- dental health care delivery
- dental team
Footnotes
Nancy Foster, RDH, EFDA, CDA, EdM is an associate professor in the Dental Health Programs, University of Maine at Augusta, Bangor, ME, and a clinical lecturer in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI.
Amanda Willette, CDA, EFDA, MSEd is an assistant professor and dental assisting coordinator in the Dental Health Program, University of Maine at Augusta, Bangor, ME.
Danielle Furgeson, RDH, MS, DHSc is a clinical assistant professor and graduate program director in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan, School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI.
This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area Population level: Health services (vulnerable populations).
- Received December 10, 2018.
- Accepted May 28, 2019.
- Copyright © 2019 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association