Good all around, except if you are the patient. (Now what I say comes from both experience and rationing. I have worked with EFDAs in the midwest who can place direct restorative material and in IHS. I have personal experience with this type of assistant at a PRIVATE PRACTICE, not a school)
The EFDAS in CA have been initiated Jan 1, and by far, exceed all other EFDAs around the country in terms of scope of abilities.
My reasoning:
Good: If you are in a low-moderate income/class practice because you can increase production by delegating multiple duties. This frees you to do more productive dentistry rather than "wasting" you time on "less important" procedures like cementing crowns or placing direction restorations.
Also Good: If you are in a moderate-high income/class practice because you can increase production by redoing most of the EFDAs work done at other offices, thus increasing production. There are many parts of CA where people just won't want anybody other than the doctor doing their dentistry, so when "Suzy" walks in to "put in your filling" the patient won't be able to say anything then, but may need to have it replaced when it fails early.
In theory:
You as a dentist now in CA can meet a new patient who say, needs a RCT/build-up/crown. You anesthetize, clean caries, prep outline form of crown, extirpate pulp, clean & shape... AND NEVER SEE THE PATIENT AGAIN. The new EFDA can fit & cement endo master cones, place core-build up (direct restorative), finish, contour, and polish direct restorative (crown prep?... not if you only prep on core material), place retraction cord, take FINAL IMPRESSION, fabricate & cement provisional restoration, dismiss patient, seat patient, don't need to anesthetize because endo is done, remove provisional, clean off cement off tooth, try in & ADJUST final crown, and CEMENT crown. Heaven forbid you need the tooth anesthetized because it's still sensitive from the poor endo treatment... well... just go get your dental hygienist to give the anesthesia. Yup, they're allowed to anesthetize there, so yes, the dentist is completely out of the picture.
If that's not a scary thing, please provide your input, because from what I know of dentistry and the potential pitfalls, it's terrifying.
See below:
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1753.5. (a) A registered dental assistant in extended functions
licensed on or after January 1, 2010, is authorized to perform all
duties and procedures that a registered dental assistant is
authorized to perform as specified in and limited by Section 1752.4,
and those duties that the board may prescribe by regulation.
(b) A registered dental assistant in extended functions licensed
on or after January 1, 2010, is authorized to perform the following
additional procedures under direct supervision and pursuant to the
order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed
dentist:
(1) Conduct preliminary evaluation of the patient's oral health,
including, but not limited to, charting, intraoral and extra-oral
evaluation of soft tissue, classifying occlusion, and functional
evaluation.
(2) Perform oral health assessments in school-based, community
health project settings under the direction of a dentist, registered
dental hygienist, or registered dental hygienist in alternative
practice.
(3) Cord retraction of gingiva for impression procedures.
(4) Size and fit endodontic master points and accessory points.
(5) Cement endodontic master points and accessory points.
(6) Take final impressions for permanent indirect restorations.
(7) Take final impressions for tooth-borne removable prosthesis.
(8) Polish and contour existing amalgam restorations.
(9) Place, contour, finish, and adjust all direct restorations.
(10) Adjust and cement permanent indirect restorations.
(11) Other procedures authorized by regulations adopted by the
board.
(c) All procedures required to be performed under direct
supervision shall be checked and approved by the supervising licensed
dentist prior to the patient's dismissal from the office.