Issues to Cover With Dental Hygienist Colleges<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Spearfish SD, you can start the process of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students begin by checking out the location and the cost of the colleges. Perhaps they look for several online options also. Even though these may be important initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you should address to the schools you are looking at in order to make an informed decision. To start that process, we have included a list of questions to assist you with your due diligence and final selection of the ideal dental hygienist college for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental School Accredited?<\/strong> There are many important reasons why you should only select an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are intending to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a prerequisite in virtually all states. To qualify to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, your dental college must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps establish that the education you get is of the highest quality and comprehensive. Spearfish SD employers frequently desire or require that new hires are graduates of accredited schools. And finally, if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, often they are not obtainable for non-accredited schools.<\/p>\nIs Sufficient Clinical Training Included?<\/strong> Practical or clinical training is an essential component of any dental training program. This applies for the online school options also. A number of dental hygienist schools have relationships with local dental practices and clinics that provide practical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the school you choose offers enough clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently want to work in. For example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, make sure that the school you select offers clinical rotation in a local Spearfish SD dental office 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 best means to obtain hands-on, clinical experience in a real dental practice. They make it easier for 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 too.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Support Furnished?<\/strong> Most students that have graduated from dental hygienist colleges need help landing their first job. Find out if the programs you are looking at have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Colleges with higher job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the Spearfish SD dental community as well as broad networks of contacts where they can place their students for employment or internships.<\/p>\nAre Classes Small?<\/strong> Check with the programs you are reviewing how big on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes generally offer a more personal atmosphere for training where students have increased access to the teachers. Conversely, bigger classes often are impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If feasible, find out if you can monitor a few classes at the Spearfish SD dental hygienist school that you are leaning toward so that you can witness first hand the amount of interaction between students and teachers before making a commitment.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Entire Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene training can differ in cost dependent on the length of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other variables, for instance the reputations of the schools and if they are public or private also come into play. But in addition to the tuition there are other substantial expenses which can add up. They can include costs for such things as commuting and textbooks as well as school equipment, materials and supplies. So when comparing the cost of programs, remember to add all of the costs related to your education. Most schools have financial assistance offices, so be sure to ask what is available as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the Spearfish SD area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Accessible?<\/strong> Before enrolling in a dental hygienist college, you must verify that the hygienist or assistant program furnishes classes that accommodate your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while getting your education and have to go to classes near Spearfish SD at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online school, you will still be required to schedule your practical training classes. Also, while making your inquiries, ask what the make-up procedure is if you should have to miss any classes because of illness, work or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Spearfish SD?<\/h3>\nSpearfish, South Dakota<\/h3>
Before the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans (primarily bands of Sioux but others also ranged through the area). Once the gold rush started, the city was founded in 1876 at the mouth of Spearfish Canyon, and was originally called Queen City.[8] Spearfish grew as a supplier of foodstuffs to the mining camps in the hills. Even today, a significant amount of truck farming and market gardening still occurs in the vicinity.<\/p>
In 1887, the accepted history of gold mining in the Black Hills was thrown into question by the discovery of what has become known as the Thoen Stone.[9] Discovered by Louis Thoen on the slopes of Lookout Mountain, the stone purports to be the last testament of Ezra Kind who, along with six others, entered the Black Hills in 1833 (at a time when whites were forbidden by law and treaty from entering the area), \"got all the gold we could carry\" in June 1834, and were subsequently \"killed by Indians beyond the high hill.\" While it may seem unlikely that someone who has \"lost my gun and nothing to eat and Indians hunting me\" would take the time to carve his story in sandstone, there is corroborating historical evidence for the Ezra Kind party.[10]<\/p>
In the 20th century, the history of Spearfish was tied very closely to mining and tourism. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who visited Spearfish Canyon in 1935, later called the area \"unique and unparalleled elsewhere in our country,\" and wondered, \"How is it that I've heard so little of this miracle and we, toward the Atlantic, have heard so much of the Grand Canyon when this is even more miraculous?\"[11]<\/p>
The Homestake Sawmill (previously part of Pope and Talbot, now owned by Neimen Forest Products) was built to supply timbers for the Homestake Mine in Lead (closed January 2002). In 1938, Joseph Meier brought the Luenen Passion Play to settle permanently in Spearfish and become the Black Hills Passion Play, drawing thousands of visitors every year during the summer months. After Meier's death in 2007, the amphitheater and 23 acres (93,000\u00a0m2) surrounding it were put up for sale.[12]<\/p><\/div>\n