Bulletin of Dental Education Article

The University of Bridgeport’s (UB) Fones School of Dental Hygiene and Expanded Function Dental Assistant (EFDA) program received $275,000 from the Delta Dental Foundation Workforce Grant Fund.

This three-year grant will fund $2,500 scholarships for each EFDA student through 2028, as well as a portion of the program’s operating expenses.

Through the support of the Delta Dental Foundation, each second-year dental hygiene student at Fones School of Dental Hygiene will receive partial support toward their board exam fees. Second-year dental hygiene students are eligible for one of 20 $1500 scholarships based on criteria established by the program, including academic standing, financial need and dedication to the profession of dental hygiene.  

In 2025, the University of Bridgeport opened the first EFDA program in Connecticut, nine years after the statute had been passed. Dental assistants from all corners of the state are traveling to Bridgeport, CT, to become part of the state’s first EFDAs. The hybrid program was designed so that dental assistants can continue to work while advancing their careers in oral health.

Since April 2025, forty-one students have successfully completed the EFDA program, with a third cohort beginning in April 2026. Dental assistants from neighboring states are also reaching out when their state’s regulations align with the University of Bridgeport’s program.

The University of Bridgeport’s EFDA faculty consists of dentists, both general and pediatric, foreign-trained dentists and dental hygienists. 

“The UB EFDA program is a partner in strengthening the dental workforce in Connecticut. Graduates of [the] EFDA program play a critical role in addressing the ongoing dental workforce shortage,” said Mimi DeLessio-Matta, D.M.D., a Fellow and Diplomate of the Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. “They serve as a front-line defense in preventing disease, protecting oral and overall health and ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals.”

Dr. DeLessio-Matta, D.M.D., is also an owner of a private dental practice and past president of the Connecticut State Dental Association. One of Dr. DeLessio-Matta’s dental assistants has completed UB’s EFDA program and two more of her dental assistants are enrolled in the program.

The cost of education and required board exams for dental hygiene and EFDA students is a barrier in obtaining the proper credentials for EFDA and licensure for future dental hygienists.

Support from the Delta Dental Foundation had increased opportunities and removed financial barriers for prospective dental assistants and hygienists across the state of Connecticut and surrounding areas.

Courtesy of University of Bridgeport Fones School of Dental Hygiene

Published on February 11, 2026