Topics to Ask Dental Hygienist Colleges<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in West Memphis AR, you can start the procedure of comparing schools and programs. As we covered at the opening of this article, a number of students start by checking out the location and the cost of the schools. Possibly they look for several online options as well. Although these may be significant initial points to consider, there are several additional questions that you should ask of the colleges you are looking at in order to make an informed decision. Toward that end, we have provided a list of questions to assist you with your due diligence and ultimate selection of the ideal dental hygienist school for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental College Accredited?<\/strong> There are many valid reasons why you should only pick an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are intending 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 school must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps ensure that the education you get is comprehensive and of the highest quality. West Memphis AR employers often prefer or require that job applicants are graduates of accredited colleges. And last, if you are applying for financial aid or a student loan, frequently they are not provided for non-accredited schools.<\/p>\nIs Adequate Clinical Training Provided?<\/strong> Practical or clinical training is a vital component of any dental training program. This applies for the online school options also. A number of dental hygienist programs have relationships with regional dental offices and clinics that furnish clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the college you choose 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 are interested in a career in pediatric dentistry, check that the program you enroll in offers clinical rotation in a local West Memphis AR dental practice that specializes in dental treatment for children.<\/p>\nAre Internships Available?<\/strong> Verify if the dental programs you are looking at sponsor internship programs. Internships are probably the most effective method to receive hands-on, practical experience in a real dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students form professional relationships in the West Memphis AR dentistry community. And they are attractive on resumes as well.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Help Provided?<\/strong> Most graduating students of dental hygienist schools require help getting their first job. Check if the colleges you are looking at have job assistance programs, and what their job placement rates are. Schools with high job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the West Memphis AR 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 evaluating how large on average their classrooms are. The smaller classes generally offer a more intimate setting for training where students have increased access to the teachers. On the other hand, bigger classes can be impersonal and offer little one-on-one instruction. If feasible, find out if you can attend a few classes at the West Memphis AR dental hygienist school that you are leaning toward in order to experience first hand the amount of interaction between students and teachers before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Total Cost 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 variables, such as the reputations of the colleges and whether they are public or private also come into play. But along with the tuition there are other substantial 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 analyzing the cost of schools, don’t forget to add all of the expenses related to your education. The majority of colleges have financial aid departments, so be sure to find out what is offered as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the West Memphis AR area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Accessible?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you need to verify that the hygienist or assistant program provides classes that fit your schedule. This is particularly true if you will be working while receiving your education and must go to classes near West Memphis AR at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online college, you will still be required to schedule your clinical training classes. Also, while addressing your concerns, ask what the make-up practice is if you should have to miss any classes because of illness, work or family responsibilities.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near West Memphis AR?<\/h3>\nWest Memphis, Arkansas<\/h3>
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 26,245 at the 2010 census,[3] ranking it as the state's 18th largest city, behind Bella Vista. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area, and is located directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis.<\/p>
Native Americans lived in the Mississippi River Valley for at least 10,000 years, although much of the evidence of their presence has been buried or destroyed. The Indians of the Mississippian Period were the last native inhabitants of the West Memphis area. Mound City Road, located within the eastern portion of the West Memphis city limits, has a marker indicating that the villages of Aquixo (Aquijo) or Pacaha were in the area. Several mounds are still visible.<\/p>
Explorers from both Spain and France visited the area near West Memphis. Among those explorers were Hernando de Soto and his men from Spain and Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet from France. By the time French hunters and explorers entered the region, the Mississippian towns and other settlements had been abandoned. The original site of West Memphis came from Spanish land grants issued during the 1790s. Grants were given to Benjamin Fooy, John Henry Fooy, and Isaac Fooy in the Hopefield (Crittenden County) area and to William McKenney in the Bridgeport-West Memphis area.<\/p>
In the summer of 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto crossed the Mississippi River into what is now Crittenden County with an army of over 300 conquistadors and almost as many captured Native American slaves. The Spanish found the land to be the most densely populated that they had seen since starting their journey on the Florida coast, two years earlier. The Spanish expedition departed Arkansas two years later, leaving behind numerous Old World diseases. It was 130 years before Europeans visited this region again. The French expedition of Joliet and Marquette in 1673 found none of the towns or people that the Spanish had documented; all that remained were the many mounds that still dot the landscape along the rivers and creeks. The original inhabitants, like the later settlers, were drawn to this region because of its fertile river bottom soil, abundant game, and thick forest.<\/p><\/div>\n