What to Ask Dental Hygienist Programs<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in University Park PA, you can start the process of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the opening of this article, many potential students begin by looking at the location and the cost of the schools. Maybe they look for several online alternatives as well. Although these are significant initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you should address to the programs you are reviewing in order to reach an informed decision. Toward that end, we have supplied a list of questions to help you with your due diligence and final selection of the right dental hygienist college for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental School Accredited?<\/strong> There are a number of good reasons why you should only enroll in an accredited dental hygienist school. If you are intending to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a requirement in virtually all states. To qualify to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, your dental program must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps guarantee that the instruction you receive is of the highest quality and comprehensive. University Park PA employers frequently desire or require that job applicants are graduates of accredited colleges. And last, if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, frequently they are not obtainable for non-accredited schools.<\/p>\nIs Plenty of Clinical Training Provided?<\/strong> Clinical or practical training is a necessary part of every dental training program. This applies for the online college options as well. Most dental hygienist programs have partnerships with local dental offices and clinics that provide clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the program you enroll in provides adequate clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you ultimately would like to work in. For example, if you are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the school you choose offers clinical rotation in a local University Park PA dental practice that focuses on dental treatment for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Find out if the dental colleges you are looking at sponsor an internship program. Internships are undoubtedly the most effective means to obtain 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 develop professional relationships in the University Park PA dentistry community. And they are attractive on resumes too.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Help Provided?<\/strong> Most students that have graduated from dental hygienist programs need help obtaining their first job. Check if the programs you are considering have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Colleges with higher job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the University Park PA dental profession as well as extensive networks of contacts where they can place their students for employment or internships.<\/p>\nAre Classrooms Smaller?<\/strong> Find out from the programs you are interested in how big on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes tend to offer a more intimate environment for learning where students have greater access to the instructors. On the other hand, large classes often are impersonal and provide little one-on-one instruction. If feasible, ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes at the University Park PA dental hygienist school that you are most interested in so that you can witness first hand the degree of interaction between instructors and students before making a commitment.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Total Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene schools can vary in cost based on the duration of the program and the amount of clinical training provided. Other variables, for instance the reputations of the colleges and whether they are private or public also have an impact. But in addition to the tuition there are other significant expenses which can add up. They can include costs for such things as textbooks and commuting as well as school materials, equipment and supplies. So when examining the cost of colleges, don’t forget to include all of the expenses related to your education. The majority of schools have financial assistance offices, so make sure to ask what is available as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the University Park PA area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Convenient?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist school, you need to confirm that the assistant or hygienist program furnishes classes that fit your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while getting your education and have to attend classes near University Park PA at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online school, you will still need to schedule your practical training classes. Also, while addressing your concerns, ask what the make-up procedure is if you should need to miss any classes due to work, illness or family emergencies.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near University Park PA?<\/h3>\nPennsylvania State University<\/h3>
The Pennsylvania State University (commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU) is a state-related, land-grant, doctoral university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855, the university has a stated threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service. Its instructional mission[12] includes undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education offered through resident instruction and online delivery. Its University Park campus, the flagship campus, lies within the Borough of State College and College Township. It has two law schools: Penn State Law, on the school's University Park campus, and Dickinson Law, located in Carlisle, 90 miles south of State College. The College of Medicine is located in Hershey. Penn State has another 19 commonwealth campuses and 5 special mission campuses located across the state.[13] Penn State has been labeled one of the \"Public Ivies,\" a publicly funded university considered as providing a quality of education comparable to those of the Ivy League.[14][15][16]<\/p>
Annual enrollment at the University Park campus totals more than 46,800 graduate and undergraduate students, making it one of the largest universities in the United States.[7] It has the world's largest dues-paying alumni association.[17] The university's total enrollment in 2015\u201316 was approximately 97,500 across its 24 campuses[18] and online through its World Campus.[19]<\/p>
The university offers more than 160 majors among all its campuses[20] and administers $3.62 billion (as of June 30, 2016) in endowment and similar funds.[21] The university's research expenditures totaled $836 million during the 2016 fiscal year.[22]<\/p>
Annually, the university hosts the Penn State IFC\/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), which is the world's largest student-run philanthropy.[23] This event is held at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus. In 2014, THON raised a program record of $13.3 million.[24] The university's athletics teams compete in Division I of the NCAA and are collectively known as the Penn State Nittany Lions. They compete in the Big Ten Conference for most sports.<\/p><\/div>\n