Keimer Vacca EFDA ‘22
I have been working in dentistry for over 10 years, just wanted to be more involved in dental patient care, and thought it was a good fit after so long working in this field. After doing some research, talking to a couple dentists, and asking questions about which school would be the best place to go, everything led to CWRU. I was happy to attend the best school to become an EFDA. Having classes once a week really accommodated my work schedule and also did not feel as heavy as a full-time daily course load. I feel that the curriculum has prepared me well to begin practice. The instructional staff were always present; always walking around checking on us, verifying ergonomics, showing videos, sharing experiences and offering tips.
Jyothirmayi Mamidi EFDA ‘22
I chose to become an EFDA seeing one at the practice I currently work at. Being a foreign trained dentist, I understand that by becoming an EFDA, I can get a chance to improve my hand-skills, gain more hands-on experience by working on patients and most importantly learn the American way of dentistry more closely. “AMAZING“ is one word that comes to mind when describing the instructors. They are the best. All of them have a lot of patience and energy to support the group of students. They are very active and flexible to accommodate anyone's needs without any discrimination. The best thing about them is none of them is judgmental. They just perceive every student equally irrespective of their background and guide them through the course.
Brittney Noonan EFDA’22
I have worked in the dental field for seven years under Dr Justin Shiflett in Columbus, Ohio I chose CWRU because of their high board pass-rate, their ability to offer a Wednesday class and the professionalism of the Director of the program. After corresponding with many directors within the state, my decision became an easy one once I inquired about the program at CWRU.
This program was far more challenging than I had imagined, but for that, I feel more grateful for the opportunity that was given to me. I was continually pushed to not only produce better quality of work, but to also overcome my own mindset and critically think to find solutions. This has been a rewarding pursuit. The biggest strength of the program was the amount of communication and guidance that the instructors provide. It is clear that they take ownership and pride in the fillings that students are producing, and were always readily available to give advice.
My advice to future students would be to take serious the commitment you are making when applying to CWRU’s EFDA program. This is a highly challenging, yet more so rewarding endeavor that will require nine months of focus and dedication. The result is not only becoming a better clinician, but also becoming a more confident and competent individual. Best of luck to all future students!