Issues to Ask Dental Hygienist Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Elmhurst IL, you can start the procedure of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, a number of students begin by looking at the location and the cost of the schools. Maybe they search for some online alternatives as well. Although these are important initial factors to consider, there are a few additional questions that you need to ask of the schools you are comparing in order to make an informed decision. To start that process, we have supplied a list of questions to assist you with your evaluation and ultimate selection of the best dental hygienist school for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental School Accredited?<\/strong> There are several valid reasons why you should only select an accredited dental hygienist program. If you are planning to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a requirement in almost all states. To qualify to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, your dental school must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps guarantee that the instruction you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. Elmhurst IL employers often prefer or require that new hires are graduates of accredited colleges. And last, if you are requesting financial aid or a student loan, often they are not offered for non-accredited colleges.<\/p>\nIs Sufficient Clinical Training Provided?<\/strong> Clinical or practical training is an essential part of every dental training program. This is true for the online school options as well. Many dental hygienist programs have relationships with area dental practices and clinics that furnish clinical training for their students. It’s not only essential that the school you enroll in provides sufficient 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, verify that the college you choose offers clinical rotation in a local Elmhurst IL dental practice that focuses on dental services for children.<\/p>\nIs There an Internship Program?<\/strong> Verify if the dental schools you are looking at sponsor internship programs. Internships are probably the best way to obtain hands-on, practical experience in a professional dental practice. They make it easier for students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students build professional relationships in the Elmhurst IL dentistry community. And they look good on resumes as well.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Help Provided?<\/strong> Most students that have graduated from dental hygienist schools require help getting their first job. Check if the programs you are reviewing have job assistance programs, and what their job placement rates are. Programs with higher job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the Elmhurst IL dental community as well as large networks of contacts where they can place their students for internships or employment.<\/p>\nAre the Classrooms Smaller?<\/strong> Ask the schools you are reviewing how big typically their classes are. The smaller classes tend to provide a more intimate environment for training where students have increased access to the teachers. Conversely, larger classes often are impersonal and provide little one-on-one instruction. If practical, find out if you can sit in on a couple of classes at the Elmhurst IL dental hygienist school that you are most interested in in order to experience first hand the level of interaction between instructors and students before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Total Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene training can vary in cost dependent on the duration of the program and the volume of practical training provided. Other variables, such as the reputations of the schools and whether 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 comparing the cost of colleges, don’t forget to add all of the costs related to your education. Most schools have financial assistance departments, so be sure to ask what is offered as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the Elmhurst IL area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Accessible?<\/strong> Before enrolling in a dental hygienist college, you must make sure that the assistant or hygienist program offers classes that fit your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while acquiring your education and have to go to classes near Elmhurst IL in the evenings or on weekends. And even if you select an online college, 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 due to work, illness or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Elmhurst IL?<\/h3>\nElmhurst, Illinois<\/h3>
Elmhurst is a city mostly in DuPage County and overlapping into Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois, and a western suburb of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 44,121, which was estimated to have increased to 45,171 by July 2012.[4]<\/p>
Members of the Potawatomi Native American people, who settled along Salt Creek just south of where the city would develop, are the earliest known settlers of the Elmhurst area.[5] Around 1836, European-American immigrants settled on tracts of land along the same creek. At what would become Elmhurst City Centre, a native of Ohio named Gerry Bates established a community on a tract of \"treeless land\" in 1842.[5]<\/p>
The following year, Hill Cottage Tavern opened where St. Charles Road and Cottage Hill Avenue presently intersect. In 1845, the community was officially named Cottage Hill when a post office was established. Four years later the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was given right-of-way through Cottage Hill giving farmers easier access to Chicago.[5] The community changed its name to Elmhurst in 1869. In 1871, Elmhurst College was organized and currently has 3,500 undergraduates and about 300 graduate students. Elmhurst was incorporated as a village in 1882, with a population between 723 and 1,050, and legal boundaries of St. Charles Road to North Avenue, and one half mile west and one quarter mile east of York Street. Elmhurst Memorial Hospital was founded in 1926 as the first hospital in DuPage County.[5]<\/p>
The Memorial Parade has run every Memorial Day since 1918, and the annual Elmhurst St. Patrick's Day Parade continues to be the third largest parade of that sort in the Chicago area, following the more famous parades downtown and on the city's South Side.[5]<\/p><\/div>\n