Admission Information
At Case Western Reserve University's School of Dental Medicine’s EFDA Program, it is our mission to create an enriched and empowered learning environment. We select students for our program based on our guiding recruitment philosophy of maintaining excellence and promoting the value of well-educated expanded function dental auxiliaries who will be prepared to provide entry level patient care under the direct supervision of their dentist-employer.
Application Process Overview
- Create an application, or log in using your username and password to continue your application.
- Follow the instructions to complete each page of the application.
- When your application is finished, click “submit” to pay your non-refundable application fee.
- After clicking “submit,” you will not be able to make any changes to your application form, personal statement, or documents uploaded, but you will be able to log back in later to upload any missing documents except transcripts, which are uploaded by us. All required documents must be submitted in order to be considered.
- When your application has been submitted, you will receive an invitation to take the exam with instructions (to be held in-person at CWRU / see “Dates/Deadlines” for date and time).
Note: Any application that remains incomplete at the end of the admissions period will be withdrawn.
Required Application Materials
- $55.00 application fee
- Completion of online application
- Two letters of recommendation (from recommenders other than the dentist-employer)
- In our online application system, applicants will be prompted to submit the name and email of the two recommenders and the dentist recommender (they must complete a separate form). All recommenders will then receive an email with a link to the recommendation area where they will answer several questions and upload their letter of recommendation.
- Official transcripts from high school or highest level of education
- Transcript from dental assisting program (if applicable)
- Letter from employer verifying at least two years chairside dental assisting experience in general dentistry within the past five years
- Copy of current CDA or RDA certificate (from DANB, CODA, or AMT), or RDH license (must show expiration date)
- Proof of HepBVac immunization (10 years or less) or proof of current titer (within past 12 months)
- If it has been 10 years or longer since Hep B vaccination, current titer documentation (within the past 12 months) verifying immunity using the HepB Surface Antibody IGG test is required.
- Documentation of current (within the past 12 months) TB test results
Please note that an application must be submitted and application fee paid to be considered an official application.
Entrance Exam
Once a complete application is received, the applicant is eligible to sit for the entrance examination and will receive notification with instructions for the exam. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered.
Entrance examination includes:
- Part 1: Basic dental assisting knowledge (instruments, nomenclature, burs, materials, classification of caries, etc.);
- Part 2: Spatial relations (Perceptual ability).
Preparation for part 1 of the exam includes any current dental assisting textbook. Preparation for part 2 of the exam includes an internet search which will yield practice spatial relations exams.
Application Process Questions?
Program Director
216-368-3252
sxf35@case.edu