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Points to Cover With Dental Hygienist Programs
Now that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Racine WI, you can start the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students start by looking at the location and the cost of the colleges. Maybe they look for some online options also. Although these are significant initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you should address to the schools you are looking at in order to arrive at an informed decision. Toward that end, we have included a list of questions to assist you with your due diligence and ultimate selection of the right dental hygienist school for you.
Is the Dental Program Accredited? There are several valid reasons why you should only choose an accredited dental hygienist school. If you are planning to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a prerequisite in almost all states. To qualify to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, your dental program must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps guarantee that the instruction you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. Racine WI employers often prefer or require that new hires are graduates of accredited colleges. And finally, if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, frequently they are not offered for non-accredited programs.
Is Plenty of Clinical Training Provided? Practical or clinical training is an essential portion of any dental training program. This applies for the online college options as well. Most dental hygienist schools have partnerships with local dental offices and clinics that furnish practical training for their students. It's not only imperative that the program you enroll in offers sufficient clinical hours but also provides them in the type of practice that you subsequently want to work in. For example, if you are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, verify that the college you select offers clinical rotation in a local Racine WI dental office that focuses on dental services for children.
Is There an Internship Program? Verify if the dental programs you are looking at have internship programs. Internships are probably the best way to obtain hands-on, practical experience in a real dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students develop working relationships in the professional dental community. And they are attractive on resumes also.
Is Job Placement Help Provided? Most graduating students of dental hygienist schools need help obtaining their first job. Ask if the programs you are researching have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with high job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the Racine WI dental community in addition to large networks of contacts where they can place their students for internships or employment.
Are Classes Smaller? Find out from the schools you are interested in how big typically their classes are. The smaller classes tend to provide a more personal setting for learning where students have increased access to the teachers. On the other hand, large classes often are impersonal and provide little individualized instruction. If practical, ask if you can sit in on a few classes at the Racine WI dental hygienist school that you are most interested in in order to witness first hand the amount of interaction between instructors and students before making a commitment.
What is the Total Cost of the Program? Dental hygiene schools can fluctuate in cost based on the length of the program and the amount of clinical training provided. Other variables, for example the reputations of the schools and if they are private or public also come into play. But besides the tuition there are other significant costs which can add up. They can include expenses for such things as textbooks and commuting as well as school materials, equipment and supplies. So when comparing the cost of colleges, don't forget to include all of the expenses related to your education. The majority of schools have financial assistance departments, so make sure to find out what is offered as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the Racine WI area.
Are the Classes Convenient? Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you need to confirm that the hygienist or assistant program provides classes that suit your schedule. This is particularly true if you continue working while receiving your education and have to go to classes near Racine WI at nights or on weekends. And even if you choose an online school, you will still have to schedule your clinical training classes. Also, while making your inquiries, ask what the make-up protocol is if you should need to miss any classes due to illness, work or family responsibilities.
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