Issues to Ask Dental Hygienist Colleges<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in La Crosse WI, you can begin the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of students start by looking at the cost and the location of the schools. Possibly they look for some online options as well. Although these are important initial points to consider, there are several additional questions that you need to ask of the programs you are reviewing in order to make an informed decision. Toward that end, we have included 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 Program Accredited?<\/strong> There are a number of good reasons why you should only choose an accredited dental hygienist program. If you are planning to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a condition 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 ensure that the education you get is of the highest quality and comprehensive. La Crosse WI employers often prefer or require that job applicants are graduates of accredited schools. And last, if you are requesting financial aid or a student loan, frequently they are not provided for non-accredited programs.<\/p>\nIs Enough Practical Training Provided?<\/strong> Practical or clinical training is a necessary component of every dental training program. This holds true for the online college options as well. A number of dental hygienist colleges have associations with area dental offices and clinics that provide clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the school you select offers enough clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently would like to work in. As an example, if you are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the program you select offers clinical rotation in a local La Crosse WI dental practice that specializes in dental treatment for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Verify if the dental programs you are exploring have internship programs. Internships are probably the best means to obtain hands-on, practical 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 create professional relationships in the La Crosse WI dentistry community. And they are attractive on resumes as well.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Support Furnished?<\/strong> Most students that have graduated from dental hygienist colleges need assistance getting their first job. Find out if the programs you are looking at have job assistance programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with higher job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the La Crosse WI dental community as well as extensive networks of contacts where they can refer their students for internships or employment.<\/p>\nAre Classrooms Small?<\/strong> Find out from the colleges you are interested in how large on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes usually offer a more personal environment for training where students have greater access to the instructors. Conversely, large classes often are impersonal and provide little one-on-one instruction. If practical, find out if you can sit in on a few classes at the La Crosse WI dental hygienist school that you are most interested in in order to experience first hand the degree of interaction between instructors and students before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Entire Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene programs can differ in cost depending on the length of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other variables, for instance the reputations of the colleges and if they are private or public also come into play. But in addition to the tuition there are other significant costs 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 schools, don’t forget to include all of the costs related to your education. The majority of schools have financial assistance departments, so be sure to find out what is available as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the La Crosse WI area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Convenient?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you need to make sure that the assistant or hygienist program provides classes that fit your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while acquiring your education and have to attend classes near La Crosse WI at nights or on weekends. And even if you choose an online program, you will still have to schedule your practical training classes. Also, while making your inquiries, ask what the make-up procedure is if you should need to miss any classes due to illness, work or family emergencies.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near La Crosse WI?<\/h3>\nLa Crosse, Wisconsin<\/h3>
The city's estimated population in 2016 was 52,109.[7] The city forms the core of and is the principal city in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of La Crosse County and Houston County, Minnesota, with a combined population of 135,298.[8] La Crosse is home to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College. A regional technology and medical hub, La Crosse has received high rankings from some magazines in health, well-being, quality of life, and education.[6][9][10][11]<\/p>
The first Europeans to see the site of La Crosse were French fur traders who traveled the Mississippi River in the late 17th century. There is no written record of any visit to the site until 1805, when Lt. Zebulon Pike mounted an expedition up the Mississippi River for the United States. Pike recorded the location's name as \"Prairie La Crosse.\" The name originated from the game with sticks that resembled a bishop's crozier or la crosse in French, which was played by Native Americans there.[12][13]<\/p>
The first white settlement at La Crosse occurred in 1841 when Nathan Myrick, a New York native, moved to the village at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin to work in the fur trade. Myrick was disappointed to find that because many fur traders were already well-entrenched there, there were no openings for him in the trade. As a result, he decided to establish a trading post upriver at the then still unsettled site of Prairie La Crosse. In 1841, he built a temporary trading post on Barron Island (now called Pettibone Park), which lies just west of La Crosse's present downtown. The following year, Myrick relocated the post to the mainland prairie, partnering with H. J. B. Miller to run the outfit.[14]<\/p>
The spot Myrick chose to build his trading post proved ideal for settlement. It was near the junction of the Black, La Crosse, and Mississippi Rivers. In addition, the post was built at one of the few points along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River where a broad plain ideal for development existed between the river's bank and the tall bluffs that line the river valley. Because of these advantages, a small village grew around Myrick's trading post in the 1840s.<\/p><\/div>\n