Registered Dental Assistant in Extended Functions (RDAEF)

Want to advance your career? Want to enhance your dental practice?

The Dugoni School of Dentistry launched its Registered Dental Assistant in Extended Functions (RDAEF) program in June 2011. The next session of the eight-month program will begin on September 13, 2025 and we invite you to register today. This program will satisfy the California Dental Board's requirements for new and existing RDAEFs who wish to expand their licensure in preparation for earning certification in the new extended functions.

A comprehensive program with 410/342 hours of instruction, combining in-person lectures, online modules, group discussions, hands-on laboratory and live patient clinical experiences
Certification programs for both RDAs and existing RDAEFs at a fully-accredited dental school
Personalized instruction led by dental faculty members from the Dugoni School of Dentistry
The only Dental Board of California-approved provider of the RDAEF program at a dental school in Northern California
Interest-free payment plans are available to qualified candidates
Funding available to qualified individuals through the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan® program. Please visit the Sallie Mae website for more information.
Convenient weekend schedule at the Dugoni School of Dentistry's state-of-the-art campus in San Francisco

The Dugoni Difference

Our program goes above and beyond the board’s requirements for instructional time to ensure participants receive the highest quality training and education available today and to prepare them for these new responsibilities.

View brochure (PDF)

Reserve your space in the 2025-26 RDAEF Program!

Application

To apply for the program, complete the online application and pay a $2,000 nonrefundable deposit with a credit card. Then, email your supporting documentation to cedental@pacific.edu by August 8, 2025. Questions? Call 415.929.6486 or email us at cedental@pacific.edu.

Required documentation

Please submit copies of the following to cedental@pacific.edu by August 8, 2025:

Current RDA or RDAEF license
Current CPR certification from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association affiliate
Certification in radiation safety
Certification in coronal polishing
Certification in pit and fissure sealants

and

Proof of professional liability insurance coverage*
A signed agreement with your supervising dentist agreeing to administer local anesthetic to your patients during the clinical portions of the program**
Copies of all patient health histories, consent forms and treatment plans (due before beginning Module III)

*RDAs are required to provide liability insurance for the duration of the program since they will be working on patients and fellow classmates. A copy of the liability insurance certificate must be submitted before the start of the program.

**If there is more than one student per office taking this program, a dentist may supervise up to three assistants from that office throughout the duration of the program.

Liability Insurance Coverage

All RDAs are required to provide professional liability insurance for the duration of the program since they will be working on patients and fellow students. Existing RDAEFs are not required to provide liability insurance, since they will not be working on patients at the dental school. A copy of the liability insurance certificate must be submitted to Pacific, before the start of this program. The following list of resources provides suggestions gathered from former RDAEF students. Pacific has no affiliation with, nor do we endorse any of these companies. You are free to choose your own insurance company.

Proliability
www.proliability.com

National Professional Purchasing Group Association, Inc.
% Lockton Companies, Inc.,
PO Box 410679
Kansas City, MO 64114-0679
nbcc.lockton-ins.com/pl
Representatives are available 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CST, 877.539.6372

Healthcare Providers Service Organization
159 E. County Line Road, Hatboro, PA 19040-1218,
800.982.9491
www.hpso.com
Insurance provided by American Casualty Company of Reading, PA,
333 S. Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL

Program for RDAs

This 410-hour program trains and prepares currently licensed RDAs for the California State Board exam for extended functions. The program is a combination of in-person lectures, group discussions, online modules, hands-on laboratory and live patient clinical experiences. Faculty members include: Brian Kenyon, DMD; Leann Miller, RDAEF; and Maggie Rodriguez, RDAEF. RDAs successfully completing this program will be able to perform all the new procedures in extended functions which include:

Performing patient oral health evaluations, charting and evaluating of soft tissue, classifying occlusion and myofunctional evaluation
Performing oral health assessments in community and school-based settings under the direction of a dentist, RDH or RDHAP
Sizing and fitting endodontic master points and accessory points
Making final impressions for tooth-borne removable prostheses
Polishing and contouring existing amalgam restorations
Placing, contouring, finishing and adjusting all direct restorations
Adjusting and cementing permanent indirect restorations

Additionally, participants will be trained to perform:

Cord retraction and final impressions procedures for indirect restorations
Fitting and cementing endodontic master points and accessory points
Making final impressions for permanent indirect restorations
All other procedures authorized and adopted by the dental board*

*Please see Section 1753.5 of the California Business and Professionals Code

Program for Existing RDAEFs

This 342-hour program updates existing RDAEFs (who were licensed prior to January 1, 2010) in the new, allowable procedures for RDAEFs described above. Participants who successfully complete the program will be eligible to take the new RDAEF exam, and upon successful completion, will be able to perform all the expanded duties of currently licensed California RDAEFs.

Program Length

The program is offered over an eight-month period and is held on various Saturdays and Sundays at the Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. The next session of the program will start on September 13, 2025. Some segments of this program are delivered face-to-face, with a low faculty-to-student ratio, allowing for an exceptional educational experience at the world-renowned Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Prior to formal lectures, preliminary online lectures and quizzes will be required, allowing you to review the upcoming material at your own pace. In addition to the extensive laboratory sessions held at the Dugoni School of Dentistry, you will be required to complete and evaluate home practice assignments, thereby assuring your mastery of the laboratory skills. The dental school faculty members involved in this program will be available to you throughout the duration of the program to help you succeed.

Supervising Dentist

In early 2012, the Dental Board of California implemented a requirement that all new RDAEF students must complete 20 clinical restorations on patients under the supervision of a current licensed dentist in order to complete the RDAEF training and to sit for the board exam. Your supervising dentist or hygienist will also be required to attend a clinical orientation session and must supervise your completion of 6 scheduled cord packing and final impression experiences at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry as part of this program. A dentist may supervise up to 3 students. Current RDAEFs will not need a supervising dentist as they will not be participating in this part of the curriculum.

The RDAEF Program is divided into three modules held on various Saturdays and Sundays—two to three weekends per month—throughout the eight-month period at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. Both RDAs and existing RDAEFs maintain the same course schedule for Modules 1 and 2. However, current RDAEFs take fewer classes in Module 3. In addition, students will be required to complete restorations in their supervising dentist's office during Module 3.

Module 1: September 13, 2025 – November 16, 2025 (6 weekends)
September 13 & 14; 27 & 28
October 11 & 12; 18 & 19
November 1 & 2; 15 & 16

Dental anatomy
Oral health assessment, gingival structures
Occlusion principles, TMJ and head and neck anatomy
Primary and secondary dentition
Beginning of bases and liners for amalgams, composites and glass ionomers
Placement, polishing and anatomy for amalgams, composites and glass ionomers
Oral isolation

Module 2: November 22, 2025 – January 18, 2026 (5 weekends)
November 22 & 23
December 6 & 7; 13 & 14
January 3 & 4; 17 & 18

Continuation of bases and liners
Continuation of placement, carving and polishing of amalgams, composites and glass ionomers
Dental materials and techniques for making impressions for removable partial dentures

Module 3: January 31, 2026 – June 6, 2026 (10 weekends*)
January 31 & Feb. 1
February 7 & 8; 28 & March 1
March 14 & 15; 28 & 29
April 18 & 19; 25 & 26
May 16 & 17 (virtual day); 30 & 31
June 6 (Graduation)

*Dates only for RDAs; current RDAEFs will attend fewer classes in Module 3

Dental materials for interocclusal registration, vasoconstrictors, fixed partial dentures, dental cements
Fitting, adjusting and cementing of ceramic, all metal and ceramo-metal fixed partial dentures (crowns)
Indirect restoration technique*
Hemorrhage control, cord packing, vasoconstrictor use and final impressions*
Dental ergonomics*
Oral health assessment exercise with the dental school
Endodontics
Pulp vitality testing, cone fitting and cementation
Restorations in your supervising dentist's office
Review of all 3 modules prior to the state dental board exam

Dates may be subject to change.

Attendance Policy

All students are required to participate in each day of the RDAEF program. Attendance for all sessions is mandatory. Students will be required to make up any days missed at an additional expense to the participant.

Program fees for the 2025-2026 RDAEF Program are listed below. Flexible, interest-free payment plans are available to qualified applicants. Students may pay fees in three separate installments or through a monthly payment plan. Prospective students are required to make a $2,000 nonrefundable deposit when submitting their application for the program.

Program for RDAs (2025-26)

Total Program Hours: 410 hours
2025-26 Program Fee: $21,495
Student Kit: $2,995

Program for Existing RDAEFs (2025-26)

Total Program Hours: 342 hours
2025-26 Program Fee: $17,495
Student Kit: $2,995

Upon acceptance into the program, you will receive enrollment confirmation, a list of the required supplies and materials that you will need to bring to the program, a detailed program schedule for the first module of the program and access to the online learning management system which houses the online lectures and quizzes.

Student Kit

You are required to pay a student kit fee, which includes course handouts, reference materials, particular instruments and lab and clinic supplies that will be dispensed throughout the program.

All students are required to have access to a laptop computer or tablet for use during the program. Program assignments, presentations, study materials, quizzes and correspondence will be through email and/or posted on the University's online learning management system, Canvas. In addition, students will need access to a triturator at home in order to complete the homework assignments.

Funding Options

Funding may be available to qualified individuals through the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan® program. Please visit the Sallie Mae website for more information.

In addition, interest-free, flexible payment plans are available to applicants through the dental school. Please call the Continuing Dental Education Office at 415.929.6486 for further information and assistance. Please be aware that this program is not eligible for other conventional federal student loan funding. However, participants for this program may be eligible to finance the cost of this professional development program through personal loans from a bank or credit union.

Because this program consists of online lectures and quizzes, students are required to have a computer that meets minimum computer requirements. Students need:

Reliable access to a computer
Basic computer skills which include but are not limited to accessing the Internet
A computer with sound and speakers capable of playing video from the web
A high-speed Internet connection
The most recent version of one of the following web browsers: Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

Graduate Testimonials

“I highly recommend the RDAEF program at Dugoni School of Dentistry. I learned things that I didn’t think were possible until I joined this program. The dentist in the practice where I work is a graduate from Dugoni School and I continue to have her support as I grow in this field. It’s really exciting to have an expanded role and to help provide the best possible care for our patients.”
— Kathleen Turner, RDAEF Class of 2023

“I love my expanded role as an RDAEF in the practice. I have been involved in dentistry as an RDA for 22 years and I am now able to contribute in a larger way to the care and treatment of our patients. I am grateful for the skills I learned at the Dugoni School of Dentistry and I would highly recommend this program to other RDAs looking to further their career.”
— Karla Brumley, RDAEF Class of 2022

“I’m so happy I had the opportunity to experience the RDAEF program at the Dugoni School. I appreciated the wonderful professors who were professional, patient and passionate about teaching. I work as an RDAEF and the skills I learned in the program have helped me improve the care of our patients and have enhanced my career.”
— Caroline Hoang, RDAEF Class of 2019

"The RDAEF program was an amazing experience. The faculty members created a calming and positive environment, while providing challenging lesson plans that prepared us not only for state board testing, but also for our future careers. I'm thriving now as an EF2 and so many opportunities have opened up because of this program."
— Leah Young, RDAEF Class of 2018

"I was an RDA for 18 years and this program has greatly enhanced my career. I learned new skills and gained confidence from the supportive professors at the Dugoni School. Now as an RDAEF, I have a larger role in providing the best care for our patients and the response has been extremely positive from both the patients and dentists in our practice."
— Norma Nunez, RDAEF Class of 2016

"I highly recommend the RDAEF Program at Pacific. Dr. Molly Newlon is an incredible teacher and wants all of her students to succeed. The experience has given my career a boost in many ways."
— Mary Jenkins, RDAEF Class of 2013

"The facilities and friendly atmosphere at Pacific made my experience a great one. The course increased my confidence in my techniques and I'm now an even stronger part of the dental team where I work."
— Denny Phan, RDAEF Class of 2013

"Pacific's reputation was convincing enough for me to enroll and I knew I would be guaranteed a top-notch education. The flexible payment plan enabled me to afford my education."
— Leann Miller, RDAEF Class of 2012

"The program director and faculty are motivating, and I enjoy learning in the dental school's state-of-the-art facilities in San Francisco."
— Jill Larkey, RDAEF Class of 2012

Dentist Testimonials

“Having Maggie, an RDAEF trained at the Dugoni School, in our practice has helped tremendously and has enabled me to be more productive, spend more quality time with patients and provide better dentistry as I can delegate certain procedures. When our RDAEF is not in the practice, it’s more challenging. She makes everything better and takes some of the stress away from me. It has improved the way we operate and has been nothing but a great experience for me and my team.”
— Dr. Curtis Jansen, Monterey

"Sending my three assistants to the RDAEF program at the Dugoni School is one of the best decisions I have made. It's more than doubled our production and the quality of work is much higher in our practice as more time is spent with every patient. The feedback from our patients has been excellent and having RDAEFs has made practicing dentistry more enjoyable and less stressful."
— Dr. Harry Albers, Santa Rosa, CA

"Having an RDAEF is invaluable because it frees me up to do more of the dentistry that I really enjoy doing. It can enhance your practice and allows you to concentrate on the dental procedures that are more technically difficult. We've had an RDAEF in our practice for a couple of years and could never imagine not having one."
— Dr. Barry Kami, Berkeley, CA

"From a practice management point of view, having an RDAEF has the benefits of employing an associate without giving up my vision of how care is delivered. We have increased production, reduced stress and as a team we have learned to strategize our schedule for maximum efficiency. I believe RDAEFs will become more valuable to the dental professional as they enter the workplace and extend their careers."
— Dr. Jeanette Kern, Monterey, CA

"It was especially nice to be able to send our senior RDA to the Dugoni School of Dentistry for his RDAEF education, which allowed him to greatly expand the scope of his duties. He was impressed by the faculty and the depth of experience he received, and his additional skills are vital to the clinic and have increased our ability to provide additional care to our patients."
— Dr. Michael Aaronson, Marin County Health and Human Services, San Rafael, CA

RDAEF Program at the Dugoni School

Contact Us

Continuing Dental Education

Phone: 415.929.6486 Email: cedental@pacific.edu

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