Topics to Ask Dental Hygienist Programs<\/strong><\/h3>\nNow that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Columbus MS, you can begin the process of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, many prospective students begin by looking at the location and the cost of the schools. Perhaps they look for some online options as well. Although these are significant initial considerations, there are several additional questions that you should address to the colleges you are reviewing in order to reach an informed decision. Toward that end, we have included a list of questions to assist you with your evaluation and final selection of the ideal dental hygienist school for you.<\/p>\n
Is the Dental Program Accredited?<\/strong> There are several valid reasons why you should only enroll in an accredited dental hygienist school. If you are planning to become licensed or certified, then accreditation is a prerequisite in nearly 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 establish that the training you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. Columbus MS employers typically prefer or require that job applicants are graduates of accredited colleges. And finally, if you are requesting financial aid or a student loan, often they are not available for non-accredited colleges.<\/p>\nIs Enough Practical Training Provided?<\/strong> Clinical or practical training is a necessary component of every dental training program. This holds true for the online college options also. Most dental hygienist programs have partnerships with area dental offices and clinics that provide practical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the college you enroll in offers sufficient clinical hours but also provides them in the kind of practice that you subsequently want to work in. For example, if you have an interest in a career in pediatric dentistry, make sure that the college you choose offers clinical rotation in a local Columbus MS dental practice that focuses on dental services for children.<\/p>\nAre Internships Available?<\/strong> Verify if the dental programs you are looking at have an internship program. Internships are undoubtedly the ideal way to get hands-on, clinical experience in a professional dental practice. They help students to transition from the theoretical to the practical. They can also help students form working relationships in the professional dental community. And they look good on resumes also.<\/p>\nIs Job Placement Assistance Offered?<\/strong> Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist programs require assistance obtaining their first job. Ask if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Schools with high job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the Columbus MS dental community as well as broad networks of contacts where they can position their students for employment or internships.<\/p>\nAre Classrooms Smaller?<\/strong> Check with the programs you are looking at how large typically their classrooms are. The smaller classes generally offer a more personal setting for training where students have increased access to the teachers. Conversely, bigger classes often are impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If feasible, find out if you can sit in on a couple of classes at the Columbus MS dental hygienist college that you are leaning toward in order to witness first hand the amount of interaction between students and instructors before enrolling.<\/p>\n <\/strong>What is the Entire Cost of the Program?<\/strong> Dental hygiene colleges can vary in cost based on the length of the program and the volume of clinical training provided. Other variables, for example the reputations of the colleges and if 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 commuting and textbooks as well as school equipment, materials and supplies. So when analyzing the cost of colleges, don’t forget to add all of the costs related to your education. Most schools have financial aid offices, so be sure to check out what is offered as far as loans, grants and scholarships in the Columbus MS area.<\/p>\nAre the Classes Accessible?<\/strong> Before selecting a dental hygienist college, you need to make sure that the assistant or hygienist program furnishes classes that suit your schedule. This is especially true if you will be working while receiving your education and need to go to classes near Columbus MS at nights or on weekends. And even if you enroll in an online college, you will still have 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 work, illness or family issues.<\/p>\nAttending Dental Hygienist School near Columbus MS?<\/h3>\nColumbus, Mississippi<\/h3>
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States,[2] located primarily east, but also north and northeast of the Tombigbee River, which is also referred to as the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway [3]. It is approximately 146 miles (235\u00a0km) northeast of Jackson, 92 miles (148\u00a0km) north of Meridian, 63 miles (101\u00a0km) south of Tupelo, 60 miles (97\u00a0km) northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 120 miles (193\u00a0km) west of Birmingham, Alabama.[3] The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census and 23,640 in 2010.[4] The population in 2012 was estimated to be 23,452.[4] Columbus is the principal city of the Columbus Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Columbus-West Point Combined Statistical Area. Columbus is also part of the area of Mississippi called The Golden Triangle, consisting of Columbus, West Point and Starkville, in the counties of Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha.<\/p>
The first record of the site of Columbus in Western history is found in the annals of the explorer Hernando de Soto, who is reputed to have crossed the nearby Tombigbee River on his search for El Dorado. However, the site does not enter the main continuity of American history until December 1810, when John Pitchlynn, the U.S. interpreter for the Choctaw Nation, moved to Plymouth Bluff where he built a home, established a farm and transacted Choctaw Agency business.<\/p>
After the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson recognized the urgent need for roads connecting New Orleans to the rest of the country. In 1817 Jackson ordered a road be built to provide a direct route from Nashville to New Orleans. His surveyor, Captain Hugh Young, chose a place where high ground approached the river on both sides as the location for a ferry that could be used for crossing the river when high water prevented fording the river. This military bridge is the site of the present day Tombigbee Bridge in Columbus. This transportation route opened the way for development in the area.[5]<\/p>
Columbus was founded in 1821. Before its incorporation, the town site was referred to informally as Possum Town, a name which was given by the local Native Americans. The name Possum Town remains the town's nickname among locals. Columbus came into existence as a result of the failure of a flooded settlement across the river, Plymouth, which was established in 1817. Plymouth Bluff (above the ruined settlement) is today an environmental center for Mississippi University for Women. The survivors of the flood moved to a site occupied by Thomas Moore and Dr. Gideon Lincecum. Silas McBee suggested the name Columbus; in return, a small local creek bears McBee's name.[6]<\/p><\/div>\n