What to Ask Dental Hygienist Colleges<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Gustavus AK, you can start the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the opening of this article, a number of prospective students begin by looking at the cost and the location of the colleges. Maybe they search for several online alternatives also. Although these are important initial factors to consider, there are a few additional questions that you need to 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 several important reasons why you should only select an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are going to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a requirement in almost 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 receive is of the highest quality and comprehensive. Gustavus AK employers frequently prefer or require that new hires are graduates of accredited programs. And finally, if you are requesting financial aid or a student loan, often they are not provided for non-accredited colleges.<\/p>\nIs Sufficient Practical Training Provided?<\/strong> Clinical or practical training is an essential part of any dental training program. This holds true for the online college options as well. Many dental hygienist programs have associations with regional dental offices and clinics that provide practical training for their students. It’s not only important that the college you enroll in provides sufficient clinical hours but also provides them in the type of practice that you ultimately want to work in. As an example, if you are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the college you select offers clinical rotation in a local Gustavus AK dental office that focuses on dental care for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Find out if the dental schools you are looking at sponsor internship programs. Internships are probably the best means to obtain 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 develop professional relationships in the Gustavus AK dentistry community. And they are attractive on resumes also.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Support Furnished?<\/strong> Many graduating students of dental hygienist programs need help getting their first job. Find out if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Colleges with high job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the Gustavus AK dental community in addition to broad networks of contacts where they can position their students for employment or internships.<\/p>\nAre Classes Small?<\/strong> Find out from the colleges you are reviewing how large typically their classrooms are. The smaller classes generally provide a more personal setting for training where students have increased access to the teachers. Conversely, bigger classes tend to be impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If feasible, find out if you can attend a couple of classes at the Gustavus AK dental hygienist school that you are leaning toward in order to experience first hand the level of interaction between students and instructors before making a commitment.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Total Expense of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene colleges can differ in cost dependent on the duration of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other factors, for example the reputations of the colleges and if they are private or public 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 commuting and textbooks as well as school materials, equipment and supplies. So when comparing the cost of programs, remember to add all of the costs associated with your education. Most colleges have financial aid offices, so be sure to find out what is available as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the Gustavus AK area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Convenient?<\/strong> Before enrolling in a dental hygienist college, you need to make sure that the assistant or hygienist program offers classes that accommodate your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while acquiring your education and must go to classes near Gustavus AK in the evenings or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online school, you will still need to schedule your practical training classes. Also, while making your inquiries, ask what the make-up practice is if you should have to miss any classes because of illness, work or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Gustavus AK?<\/h3>\nGustavus, Alaska<\/h3>
Gustavus, formerly known as \"Strawberry Point\", lies on the outwash plain created by the glaciers that once filled Glacier Bay. Two hundred years ago, it was primarily a single large \"beach\". The native Tlingit people and others used the area for fishing, berry picking, and other similar uses. The town itself is less than one hundred years old. The first settlers arrived in 1914, but left shortly afterward. The first permanent homestead was established in 1917, when Abraham Lincoln Parker moved his family to Strawberry Point. Many Gustavus residents are descendants and relatives of the original Parker homesteaders.<\/p>
In 1925 the name became \"Gustavus\", when the U.S. Post Office required a change for its new post office, although locals continued calling it \"Strawberry Point\" long afterwards. The new name came from Point Gustavus at the mouth of Glacier Bay.<\/p>
In 1793 George Vancouver named Point Adolphus (at the northern tip of Chichagof Island, and today a well-known humpback whale feeding area) after Adolphus Frederick, seventh son of King George III. In 1878, W.H. Dall, while working on a coastal survey, saw \"Adolphus\" on the map and assumed it was for Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus. The point across Icy Strait from Point Adolphus at the mouth of Glacier Bay was not named on the map, so Dall called it \"Gustavus\". Another possibility is that Dall named Gustavus for Gustavus C. Hanus, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who had extensive experience throughout southeast Alaska, and both Dall and Hanus served with the Coast Survey in Alaska. Hanus laid out the first streets in Juneau and helped quell the trouble in Klukwan in 1881.<\/p>
There is still a large beach at Gustavus, with many strawberries. The city is surrounded on three sides by Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and on the fourth side by water. The area is a temperate rain forest; spruce and hemlock trees reach heights of 60 metres (200\u00a0ft), and alders, balsam poplar, fern, mosses, fireweed, lupine, and other plants are also common. Gustavus's coastal location gives it a relatively mild winter. Summer temperatures range from 11 to 17\u00a0\u00b0C (52 to 63\u00a0\u00b0F); winter temperatures from \u22123 to 4\u00a0\u00b0C (27 to 39\u00a0\u00b0F).<\/p><\/div>\n