Development and Implementation of the Indian Health Service Expanded Function Dental Assistant-1 (EFDA-1) Occupation

This study examined and its report describes development and implementation of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Expanded Function Dental Assistant-1 (EFDA-1) occupation model (commonly called the “perio EFDA”) to provide information that can be used to explore the feasibility of implementing the model outside of the IHS. Information obtained from document reviews and key informant interviews was used to describe the roles of perio EFDAs, their education and training requirements, and experiences of IHS and related tribal dental clinics in developing and employing perio EFDAs, including obstacles and facilitators. The report also describes dental assistant and dental hygienist workforce supply and demand in Washington, including gaps that a new workforce model might help address.