Dental Hygienist Schools Near Me in King of Prussia PA 19406

How to Select a Dental Hygienist School near King of Prussia Pennsylvania

King of Prussia PA dental hygienist with patient Picking the right dental hygienist school near King of Prussia PA is an important initial step toward beginning your new career in dentistry. But before you can make your selection, you need to examine and compare your school options. There is much more to performing your due diligence than picking the college with the least expensive tuition or enrolling in the school that is nearest to your residence. There are other significant factors to consider also, for instance the college’s reputation and accreditation. Dental hygienists usually earn an Associate Degree, as compared to a certificate usually earned by assistants, and can take anywhere from two to three years to accomplish. Obviously with the prolonged training of a hygienist comes more expense. We will discuss all of these issues and supplemental questions that you need to be asking the dental hygienist programs you are evaluating later in this article. But first, let’s explore the roles of dental hygienists and the training programs offered.

The Function of Dental Hygienists

King of Prussia PA pediatric dental hygienist with patient When contrasting the duties of a dental assistant to that of a hygienist, the biggest difference is probably that the hygienist works more on their own. Dental assistants work with and in support of the King of Prussia PA practice and the dentists. Hygienists, while also assisting the practice, work with the patients more on an individual basis. They are frequently the first person a patient sees when called from the waiting room. They examine each patient’s gums and teeth and present their findings to the dentists. They also may carry out basic procedures. Depending on state law, a hygienist’s duties may include:

Removing tartar, stains 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 almost all states, dental hygienists must graduate from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) accredited dental hygiene program. They also must pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination in addition to passing any state licensure examinations. Once they have fulfilled these requirements they are deemed fully licensed and may add the “RDH” designation to their names, signifying Registered Dental Hygienist.

Dental Hygienist Education Options

Because of the increased responsibility as compared to an assistant, dental hygienists working in King of Prussia PA dental practices are often required to have an Associate Degree in dental hygiene rather than a certificate. These programs can take anywhere from 2 to as long as 3 years to complete and must be accredited by the CDA in almost every state. They are offered in trade and technical schools as well as community colleges. And in addition to classroom studies learning the fundamentals of dental hygiene, there will be a practical aspect to the training as well| Many programs also sponsor internships with local dentists or dental practices.

Online Dental Hygienist Programs

attending dental hygienist school online in King of Prussia PA Enrolling in an online dental hygienist college may be a good option for receiving your training. Just remember that the program will not be totally online, since there will be a practical portion to your training. But the rest of your classes will be provided by means of your personal computer in the convenience of your King of Prussia PA home or anywhere else on your laptop or tablet. For those working while going to school, online dental classes make education much more obtainable. Many may even have lower tuition rates than their on-campus counterparts. And additional expenses for items like books, school supplies and commuting may be reduced also. The practical training can often be performed at a community dental practice or in an on-campus lab. With both the online and clinical training, everything required to receive the appropriate education is furnished. If you have the discipline for this method of learning, you might find that enrolling in an online dental hygienist program is the right choice for you.

Points to Ask Dental Hygienist Programs

teeth cleaned by King of Prussia PA dental hygienist Now that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in King of Prussia PA, you can start the process of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of potential students start by looking at the cost and the location of the colleges. Perhaps they look for some online alternatives also. Even though these are relevant initial considerations, there are a few additional questions that you need to address to the colleges you are comparing in order to reach an informed decision. Toward that end, we have provided a list of questions to help you with your evaluation and final selection of the ideal dental hygienist school for you.

Is the Dental School Accredited? There are a number of good reasons why you should only pick an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are planning to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a prerequisite in almost all states. In order to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, 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. King of Prussia PA employers frequently desire or require that new hires are graduates of accredited programs. And finally, if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, frequently they are not available for non-accredited programs.

Is Plenty of Clinical Training Provided? Clinical or practical training is an essential component of any dental training program. This is true for the online college options also. A number of dental hygienist schools have relationships with regional dental offices and clinics that furnish clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the school you enroll in provides enough clinical hours but also provides them in the type of practice that you ultimately would like to work in. For example, if you are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, check that the program you choose offers clinical rotation in a local King of Prussia PA dental office that specializes in dental services for children.

Are Internships Available? Find out if the dental schools you are exploring have internship programs. Internships are undoubtedly the most effective way to receive hands-on, practical experience in a professional dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students establish working relationships in the professional dental community. And they are attractive on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist schools need assistance obtaining their first job. Ask if the colleges you are considering have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with high job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the King of Prussia PA dental community as well as large networks of contacts where they can refer their students for employment or internships.

Are the Classes Small? Ask the schools you are reviewing how large typically their classrooms are. The smaller classes usually provide a more intimate environment for training where students have increased access to the teachers. On the other hand, bigger classes tend to be impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If practical, ask if you can monitor a couple of classes at the King of Prussia PA dental hygienist school that you are most interested in so that you can witness first hand the amount of interaction between instructors and students before enrolling.

What is the Overall Cost of the Program? Dental hygiene programs can fluctuate in cost based on the duration of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other variables, for instance the reputations of the schools and whether they are public or private also have an impact. 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 analyzing the cost of programs, don’t forget to add all of the expenses associated with your education. Most schools have financial assistance departments, so be sure to find out what is offered as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the King of Prussia PA area.

Are the Classes Accessible? Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you need to confirm that the assistant or hygienist program furnishes classes that suit your schedule. This is especially true if you will be working while receiving your education and have to go to classes near King of Prussia PA at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online program, you will still need 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 work, illness or family emergencies.

Attending Dental Hygienist School near King of Prussia PA?

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

King of Prussia (also referred to as KOP)[3] is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after King Frederick the Great of Prussia. Like the rest of Montgomery County, King of Prussia continues to experience rapid development. The largest shopping mall in the United States, the King of Prussia Mall, is located here. Also located here is the headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region I. King of Prussia is considered to be an edge city of Philadelphia, consisting of large amounts of retail and office space situated at the convergence of four highways.

The eponymous King of Prussia Inn was originally constructed as a cottage in 1719 by the Welsh Quakers William and Janet Rees, founders of Reesville. The cottage was converted to an inn in 1769 and did a steady business in colonial times as it was approximately a day's travel by horse from Philadelphia. Settlers headed west to Ohio would sleep at the inn on their first night on the road. In 1774 the Rees family hired James Berry to manage the inn, which henceforth became known as "Berry's Tavern". General George Washington first visited the tavern on Thanksgiving Day in 1777 while the Continental Army was encamped at Whitemarsh; a few weeks later Washington and the army bivouacked at nearby Valley Forge.[4]

Parker's spy map,[5] created by a Tory sympathizer of the Kingdom of Great Britain, listed the inn as "Berry's" in 1777, but a local petition in 1786 identified it as the "King of Prussia". It was possibly renamed in honor of Benjamin Franklin's pro-American satirical essay "An Edict by the King of Prussia".[6] At some point a wooden signboard of the inn depicted King Frederick II (Frederick the Great) of Prussia. The inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]

The inn was forced to move with the expansion of U.S. Route 202. U.S. 202 is a major north-south highway that passes through the town from southwest to northeast. Its construction as a modern expressway would have caused the destruction of the King of Prussia Inn; however, historic preservationists managed to prevail upon the state of Pennsylvania to avoid this important structure by building north and southbound lanes on either side of it. For more than a quarter century the inn was marooned on a median island, with motor traffic whizzing past on both sides. It was sealed up for years, surrounded by a high fence. The inn was successfully relocated in 2000 and opened to the public in October 2002.

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Pick the Best Dental Hygienist College near King of Prussia PA

Picking the right dental hygienist program is imperative 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 a number of alternatives available to acquire your training and it takes a fairly short amount of time to become a dental hygienist. You can receive your formal training through dental programs at junior colleges, technical institutes, trade schools and vocational schools. Graduates of these schools normally earn an Associate Degree. Dental Hygienists typically require roughly two years of studies prior to entering the job market. When pursuing a degree you can choose to go to classes on-campus or online. Whichever mode of training you choose to pursue, by asking the questions presented in this article you will be better prepared to make the best selection. And as a result, you will be ready to start your journey toward becoming a dental hygienist in King of Prussia PA.