What to Ask Dental Hygienist Programs<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Athens GA, you can start the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of prospective students start by looking at the location and the cost of the schools. Possibly they look for some online options also. Although these may be relevant initial points to consider, there are a few additional questions that you should ask of the schools you are reviewing in order to make an informed decision. Toward that end, we have supplied a list of questions to assist you with your evaluation and final selection of the ideal dental hygienist program for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental College Accredited?<\/strong> There are many valid reasons why you should only choose an accredited dental hygienist program. If you are intending to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a prerequisite in virtually all states. In order to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, your dental college must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps ensure that the instruction you get is of the highest quality and comprehensive. Athens GA employers often prefer or require that new hires are graduates of accredited colleges. And finally, if you are applying for financial aid or a student loan, frequently they are not provided for non-accredited colleges.<\/p>\nIs Sufficient Practical Training Included?<\/strong> Practical or clinical training is a vital component of any dental training program. This holds true for the online college options as well. A number of dental hygienist programs have relationships with area dental offices and clinics that provide practical training for their students. It’s not only important that the program you enroll in offers enough clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently would like to work in. For example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the college you enroll in offers clinical rotation in a local Athens GA dental office that focuses on dental treatment for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Find out if the dental colleges you are considering have an internship program. Internships are undoubtedly the ideal means to get 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 Athens GA dentistry community. And they look good on resumes also.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Assistance Provided?<\/strong> Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist programs need help landing their first job. Check if the schools you are considering have job assistance programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with higher job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the Athens GA dental community in addition to broad networks of contacts where they can refer their students for internships or employment.<\/p>\nAre Classes Smaller?<\/strong> Find out from the colleges you are reviewing how large on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes generally offer a more intimate environment for training where students have greater access to the instructors. Conversely, bigger classes can be impersonal and provide little individualized instruction. If feasible, find out if you can attend a couple of classes at the Athens GA dental hygienist school that you are leaning toward so that you can experience first hand the degree of interaction between instructors and students before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Entire Expense of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene programs can differ in cost based on the length of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other factors, for instance the reputations of the schools and if they are public or private also come into play. But besides 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 materials, equipment and supplies. So when examining the cost of programs, don’t forget to add all of the costs related to your education. Most colleges have financial assistance departments, so be sure to check out what is available as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the Athens GA area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Convenient?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist school, you need to confirm that the hygienist or assistant program provides classes that accommodate your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while acquiring your education and must go to classes near Athens GA at nights or on weekends. And even if you select an online college, you will still have to schedule your practical training classes. Also, while addressing your concerns, ask what the make-up practice is if you should need to miss any classes due to illness, work or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Athens GA?<\/h3>\nAthens, Georgia<\/h3>
Athens (formally known as Athens-Clarke County) is a consolidated city\u2013county and American college town in the U.S. state of Georgia, about 60 miles northeast from Downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship university and a Tier I research institution, is located in Athens and contributed to its initial growth. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original city abandoned its charter to form a unified government with Clarke County, referred to jointly as Athens-Clarke County.[2] As of the 2010 census, the consolidated city-county (including all of Athens-Clarke County except Winterville and a portion of Bogart) had a total population of 115,452; all of Clarke County had a population of 116,714.[3] Athens is the sixth-largest city in Georgia, and the principal city of the Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area,[4] which had a population of 192,541 as of the 2010 census and is a part of the larger Atlanta Metropolitan area.[5] Athens-Clarke County has the smallest geographical area of a county in Georgia.[citation needed]<\/p>
The city is dominated by a pervasive student culture and music scene centered on Downtown Athens adjacent to the University of Georgia campus.[6] Major music acts associated with Athens include numerous alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., the B-52's, Widespread Panic, and the Indigo Girls.<\/p>
In the late 18th century, a trading settlement on the banks of the Oconee River called Cedar Shoals stood where Athens is located today. On January 27, 1785, the Georgia General Assembly granted a charter by Abraham Baldwin for the University of Georgia as the first state-supported university. Sixteen years later, in 1801, a committee from the university's board of trustees selected a site for the university on a hill above Cedar Shoals, in what was then Jackson County. On July 25, John Milledge, one of the trustees and later governor of Georgia, bought 633 acres (256\u00a0ha) from Daniel Easley and donated it to the university. Milledge named the surrounding area Athens after the city that was home to the Platonic Academy of Plato and Aristotle in Greece.[7]<\/p>
The first buildings on the University of Georgia campus were made from logs. The town grew as lots adjacent to the college were sold to raise money for the additional construction of the school. By the time the first class graduated from the university in 1804, Athens consisted of three homes, three stores, and a few other buildings facing Front Street, now known as Broad Street. Completed in 1806 and named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin College was the first permanent structure of the University of Georgia and of the city of Athens. This brick building is now known as Old College.<\/p><\/div>\n