Questions to Cover With Dental Hygienist Schools<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Grand Rapids MI, you can start the process of comparing programs and schools. As we discussed at the start of this article, a number of potential students start by checking out the location and the cost of the schools. Possibly they look for some online options also. Although these may be important initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you need to address to the colleges you are reviewing in order to arrive at an informed decision. To start that process, we have supplied a list of questions to help you with your evaluation and final selection of the ideal dental hygienist college for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental College Accredited?<\/strong> There are a number of good reasons why you should only choose an accredited dental hygienist college. If you are going to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a condition in almost all states. In order to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam, your dental program must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA). Accreditation also helps ensure that the education you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. Grand Rapids MI employers often desire or require that new hires are graduates of accredited colleges. And finally, if you are requesting financial aid or a student loan, frequently they are not provided for non-accredited schools.<\/p>\nIs Plenty of Practical Training Included?<\/strong> Clinical or practical training is a vital part of every dental training program. This applies for the online college options as well. Many dental hygienist schools have partnerships with regional dental practices and clinics that provide practical training for their students. It’s not only important that the college you choose provides enough clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently want to work in. As an example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, confirm that the college you select offers clinical rotation in a local Grand Rapids MI dental practice that specializes in dental care for children.<\/p>\nAre Internships Available?<\/strong> Find out if the dental programs you are evaluating sponsor an internship program. Internships are probably the best way to get 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 create working relationships in the professional dental community. And they are attractive on resumes also.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Help Furnished?<\/strong> Many graduating students of dental hygienist colleges need help getting their first job. Check if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Colleges with high job placement rates probably have excellent reputations within the Grand Rapids MI dental profession as well as large networks of contacts where they can refer their students for internships or employment.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Small?<\/strong> Ask the programs you are evaluating how big typically their classrooms are. The smaller classes usually offer a more intimate setting for training where students have increased access to the instructors. On the other hand, large classes tend to be impersonal and offer little one-on-one instruction. If practical, ask if you can sit in on a couple of classes at the Grand Rapids MI dental hygienist school that you are leaning toward so that you can experience first hand the level of interaction between teachers and students before making a commitment.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Total Expense of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene programs can vary in cost dependent on the duration of the program and the amount of clinical training provided. Other factors, such as the reputations of the schools and if they are public or private also come into play. But in addition to the tuition there are other substantial expenses which can add up. They can include expenses for such things as textbooks and commuting as well as school equipment, materials and supplies. So when examining the cost of colleges, don’t forget to include all of the expenses associated with your education. Most colleges have financial assistance departments, so be sure to check out what is available as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the Grand Rapids MI area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Convenient?<\/strong> Before enrolling in a dental hygienist college, you need to confirm that the hygienist or assistant program provides classes that suit your schedule. This is particularly true if you continue working while getting your education and need to go to classes near Grand Rapids MI at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in 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 need to miss any classes due to illness, work or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Grand Rapids MI?<\/h3>\nGrand Rapids, Michigan<\/h3>
Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan, and the largest city in West Michigan. It is on the Grand River about 30 miles (48\u00a0km) east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 1,005,648, and the combined statistical area of Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland had a population of 1,321,557. Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County.[7]<\/p>
A historic furniture-manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is home to five of the world's leading office furniture companies, and is nicknamed Furniture City. Its more common modern nickname of River City[by whom?] refers to the landmark river for which it was named. The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, based in the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.<\/p>
For thousands of years, succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples occupied the area. Over 2000 years ago, people associated with the Hopewell culture occupied the Grand River Valley.[9] Later, a tribe from the Ottawa River traveled to the Grand River valley, fighting three battles with the Prairie Indians who were established in the area.[10] The tribe later split, with the Chippewas settling in the northern lower peninsula, the Pottawatomies staying south of the Kalamazoo River and the Ottawa staying in central Michigan.[10]<\/p>
By the late 1600s, the Ottawa, who occupied territory around the Great Lakes and spoke one of the numerous Algonquian languages, moved into the Grand Rapids area and founded several villages along the Grand River.[9][11] The Ottawa established on the river, which they called O-wash-ta-nong, or far-away-water due to the river's length, where they \"raised corn, melons, pumpkins and beans, to which they added game of the woods and the fish from the streams\".[10]<\/p><\/div>\n