Dental Hygienist Schools Near Me in Burlington NC 27215 - Train to Become a Dental Hygienist

How to Choose a Dental Hygienist School near Burlington North Carolina

Burlington NC dental hygienist with patient Picking the ideal dental hygienist program near Burlington NC is an essential first step toward launching your new career in dentistry. But prior to making your choice, you must evaluate and compare your school options. There is far more to doing your due diligence than picking the program with the most affordable tuition or enrolling in the program that is closest to your residence. There are other crucial factors to consider as well, including the college’s reputation and accreditation. Dental hygienists typically earn an Associate Degree, as compared to a certificate usually earned by assistants, and can take anywhere from 2 to 3 years to complete. Obviously with the more extensive training of a hygienist comes more cost. We will explore all of these considerations and supplemental questions that you need to be asking the dental hygienist schools you are reviewing later in this article. But first, let’s look at the duties of dental hygienists and the training programs offered.

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The Role of Dental Hygienists

Burlington NC pediatric dental hygienist with patient When contrasting the role of a dental hygienist to that of an assistant, the most significant difference is undoubtedly that the hygienist works more on their own. Dental assistants work with and assists the Burlington NC dentists and the practice. Hygienists, while also supporting the practice, deal with the patients more on a one-to-one basis. They are typically the initial person a patient interacts with when called from the waiting area. They examine every patient’s gums and teeth and present their findings to the dentists. They also may carry out basic procedures. Based on state law, a hygienist’s responsibilities may include:

Removing stains, tartar and plaque
Administering fluoride treatments
Polishing teeth and applying sealants
Instructing patients about oral hygiene
Taking and developing X-rays
Removing sutures and applying fillings

In order to be licensed in nearly all states, dental hygienists must have graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) accredited dental hygiene program. They must also pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam in addition to passing any state licensing examinations. When they have fulfilled these requirements they are deemed fully licensed and can add the “RDH” designation to their names, standing for Registered Dental Hygienist.

Dental Hygienist Education Options

As a result of the additional responsibility as compared to an assistant, dental hygienists working in Burlington NC dental practices are generally required to have an Associate Degree in dental hygiene rather than a certificate. These programs can require anywhere from two to as long as three years to finish and must be accredited by the CDA in virtually every state. They are offered in trade and vocational schools as well as community colleges. And in addition to classroom studies learning the fundamentals of dental hygiene, there will be a practical component to the training as well| A number of programs also offer internships with local dental practices or dentists.

Online Dental Hygienist Colleges

attending dental hygienist school online in Burlington NC Choosing an online dental hygienist college may be a good option for obtaining your education. Just keep in mind that the program will not be 100% online, since there will be a practical component to your training. But the rest of your classes will be available via your personal computer in the comfort of your Burlington NC home or elsewhere on your laptop or tablet. For those working while going to school, online dental classes make education far more obtainable. Some may even offer lower tuition rates than their traditional competitors. And supplementary expenses such as for commuting, books and school supplies may be reduced also. The clinical training can usually be completed at an area dental practice or in an on-campus lab. With both the clinical and online training, everything needed to obtain the proper education is provided. If you have the discipline for this mode of learning, you may find that attending an online dental hygienist college is the ideal choice for you.

Topics to Cover With Dental Hygienist Schools

teeth cleaned by Burlington NC dental hygienist Now that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Burlington NC, you can start the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students start by looking at the cost and the location of the schools. Possibly they look for several online options as well. Even though these may be relevant initial points to consider, there are several additional questions that you need to address to the colleges you are reviewing in order to reach an informed decision. To start that process, we have provided a list of questions to help you with your evaluation and final selection of the right dental hygienist college for you.

Is the Dental Program Accredited? There are several good reasons why you should only pick an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are planning to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a condition 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 ensure that the training you get is of the highest quality and comprehensive. Burlington NC employers frequently desire or require that new hires are graduates of accredited programs. And last, if you are applying for financial aid or a student loan, frequently they are not provided for non-accredited schools.

Is Plenty of Clinical Training Included? Practical or clinical training is a vital portion of any dental training program. This is true for the online school options as well. Many dental hygienist schools have associations with area dental offices and clinics that furnish clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the college you enroll in provides adequate clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you ultimately would like to work in. As an example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the school you choose offers clinical rotation in a local Burlington NC dental practice that focuses on dental treatment for children.

Are Internships Available? Verify if the dental programs you are considering have internship programs. Internships are undoubtedly the most effective way to get hands-on, clinical experience in a real dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students create working relationships in the professional dental community. And they are attractive on resumes too.

Is Job Placement Assistance Furnished? Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist colleges require help landing their first job. Check if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Colleges with higher job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the Burlington NC dental profession as well as large networks of contacts where they can refer their students for internships or employment.

Are Classrooms Small? Ask the programs you are looking at how large on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes usually offer a more personal setting for training where students have greater access to the instructors. Conversely, bigger classes tend to be impersonal and provide little individualized instruction. If practical, find out if you can attend a couple of classes at the Burlington NC dental hygienist college that you are leaning toward so that you can experience first hand the level of interaction between students and teachers before making a commitment.

What is the Overall Cost of the Program? Dental hygiene colleges can vary in cost based on the length of the program and the amount of practical training provided. Other factors, for example the reputations of the colleges and whether they are private or public also come into play. But in addition to the tuition there are other substantial costs which can add up. They can include expenses for such things as commuting and textbooks as well as school materials, equipment and supplies. So when comparing the cost of programs, don’t forget to include all of the costs related to your education. Most schools have financial aid departments, so be sure to ask what is offered as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the Burlington NC area.

Are the Classes Accessible? Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you must verify that the hygienist or assistant program furnishes classes that suit your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while acquiring your education and must go to classes near Burlington NC at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online college, you will still be required to schedule your clinical training classes. Also, while addressing your concerns, ask what the make-up protocol is if you should need to miss any classes due to illness, work or family issues.

Attending Dental Hygienist School near Burlington NC?

Burlington, North Carolina

Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the city is located, and is a part of the Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point CSA. The population was 50,042 at the 2010 census,[4] which makes Burlington the 17th largest city in North Carolina. The Metropolitan Statistical Area population was over 150,000 in 2010.

Alamance County was created when Orange County was partitioned in 1849. Early settlers included several groups of Quakers, many of which remain active in the Snow Camp area, German farmers, and Scots-Irish immigrants.

The need of the North Carolina Railroad in the 1850s to locate land where they could build, repair and do maintenance on its track was the genesis of Burlington, North Carolina. The company selected a piece of land slightly west of present-day Graham. On January 29, 1856, the last spikes were driven into the final tie of the North Carolina Railroad project, uniting the cities of Goldsboro and Charlotte by rail. The next day, the first locomotive passed along the new route. When the iron horse arrived in Alamance County, locals referred to it as "the eighth wonder of the world".

Not long after this historic opening, the railroad realized a pressing need for repair shops. With Alamance County's position along the new line, it became the logical choice for the shops' location. After several debates concerning where the shops would be located, Gen. Benjamin Trollinger, a progressive Alamance County manufacturer, made an offer that settled the matter. Gen. Trollinger owned land just northwest of Graham, and he convinced several other prominent citizens owning adjacent lots to join him and sell their property to the railroad. By 1859, construction of the shops began. Seemingly overnight, a town was born. A church, bank, hotel and restaurant sprang up. "Company Shops", as the town became known, was also chosen as the railroad's headquarters. By the time the shops were completed, the village had grown to twenty-seven buildings. Thirty-nine white men, twenty Negro slaves and two free Negroes were employed in or around the shops. Sale of town lots soon started, but not surprisingly, the sale of lots was slow until after the Civil War. By 1864, Company Shops numbered about 300 persons.

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Enroll in the Best Dental Hygienist School near Burlington NC

Picking the ideal dental hygienist program is crucial if you wish to take the National Board Dental Hygiene exam or, if mandated in your state, become licensed. As you now know, there are many alternatives available to obtain your education and it takes a relatively short amount of time to become a dental hygienist. You can receive your formal education through dental programs at junior colleges, technical institutes, trade schools and vocational schools. Graduates of these programs usually receive an Associate Degree. Dental Hygienists usually require about 2 years of studies prior to entering the job market. When earning a degree you can elect to attend classes online or on-campus. Whichever mode of training you decide to pursue, by asking the questions presented in this article you will be better prepared to make the appropriate selection. And as a result, you will be ready to commence your journey toward becoming a dental hygienist in Burlington NC.