Dental Hygienist Schools Near Me in Pleasant Grove UT 84062

How to Select a Dental Hygienist School near Pleasant Grove Utah

Pleasant Grove UT dental hygienist with patient Choosing the ideal dental hygienist school near Pleasant Grove UT is an important first step toward beginning your new career in dentistry. But prior to making your choice, you need to analyze and compare your school options. There is far more to doing your due diligence than picking the college with the lowest tuition or enrolling in the college that is nearest to your residence. There are other crucial issues to consider also, including the program’s accreditation and reputation. Dental hygienists generally earn an Associate Degree, as compared to a certificate usually earned by assistants, and can take anywhere from two to three years to finish. Naturally with the more extensive training of a hygienist comes more cost. We will cover all of these issues and additional questions that you need to be asking the dental hygienist programs you are evaluating later in this article. But first, let’s explore the duties of dental hygienists and the training programs offered.

The Job of a Dental Hygienist

Pleasant Grove UT pediatric dental hygienist with patient When contrasting the duties of a dental assistant to that of a hygienist, the biggest difference is probably that the hygienist works more on their own. Dental assistants work with and assists the Pleasant Grove UT practice and the dentists. Hygienists, while also supporting the practice, deal with the patients more on an individual basis. They are typically the initial person a patient interacts with when called from the waiting room. They examine every patient’s teeth and gums and report their findings to the dentists. They also may carry out basic procedures. Based on state law, a hygienist’s responsibilities may include:

Removing stains, tartar and plaque
Administering fluoride treatments
Polishing teeth and applying sealants
Teaching patients about oral hygiene
Taking and developing X-rays
Removing sutures and applying fillings

To qualify for licensing in nearly all states, dental hygienists must have graduated from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CDA) accredited dental hygiene program. They must also pass the National Board Dental Hygiene Exam as well as any state licensure exams. Once they have completed these requirements they are regarded as fully licensed and may add the “RDH” designation to their names, signifying Registered Dental Hygienist.

Dental Hygienist Training Options

As a result of the additional responsibility in contrast to an assistant, dental hygienists employed in Pleasant Grove UT dental offices are usually required to have an Associate Degree in dental hygiene rather than a certificate. These programs can require anywhere from two to as long as three years to complete and must be accredited by the CDA in virtually every state. They are offered in trade and technical schools as well as community colleges. And in addition to classroom studies learning the fundamentals of dental hygiene, there will be a practical component to the training as well| A number of programs also offer internships with local dental practices or dentists.

Online Dental Hygienist Classes

attending dental hygienist school online in Pleasant Grove UT Enrolling in an online dental hygienist college can be a viable alternative for receiving your education. Just keep in mind that the classes will not be completely online, since there will be a practical portion to your training. But the balance of your classes will be available via your desktop computer in the comfort of your Pleasant Grove UT home or anywhere else on your laptop or tablet. For those continuing to work while going to college, online dental classes make education much more obtainable. Many may even have lower tuition costs than their on-campus competitors. And supplementary expenses such as for commuting, books and school supplies may be lessened also. The clinical training can typically be completed at a community dental practice or in an on-campus lab. With both the online and clinical training, everything necessary to receive the appropriate education is furnished. If you have the discipline for this mode of education, you may find that enrolling in an dental hygienist online school is the best choice for you.

Points to Ask Dental Hygienist Colleges

teeth cleaned by Pleasant Grove UT dental hygienist Now that you have decided to become a dental hygienist in Pleasant Grove UT, you can begin the process of comparing programs and schools. As we covered at the beginning of this article, a number of students begin by checking out the location and the cost of the schools. Perhaps they search for some online options as well. Although these may be relevant initial points to consider, there are a few additional questions that you need to address to the schools you are looking at in order to reach an informed decision. To start that process, we have furnished a list of questions to assist you with your evaluation and ultimate selection of the right dental hygienist school for you.

Is the Dental Program Accredited? There are a number of valid reasons why you should only enroll in an accredited dental hygienist program. If you are going to become certified or licensed, then accreditation is a requirement in almost 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 guarantee that the education you receive is comprehensive and of the highest quality. Pleasant Grove UT employers frequently desire or require that job applicants 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 schools.

Is Sufficient Clinical Training Included? Practical or clinical training is a necessary portion of any dental training program. This holds true for the online college options also. A number of dental hygienist schools have partnerships with regional dental practices and clinics that provide clinical training for their students. It’s not only imperative that the program you enroll in provides adequate clinical hours but also provides them in the type 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 college you choose offers clinical rotation in a local Pleasant Grove UT dental practice that focuses on dental treatment for children.

Are Internships Available? Verify if the dental schools you are considering sponsor an internship program. Internships are probably the best method to obtain 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 Pleasant Grove UT dentistry community. And they look good on resumes also.

Is Job Placement Help Furnished? Many students that have graduated from dental hygienist colleges require help getting their first job. Check if the programs you are researching have job placement programs, and what their job placement rates are. Schools with higher job placement rates are likely to have good reputations within the Pleasant Grove UT dental profession as well as large networks of contacts where they can refer their students for employment or internships.

Are the Classes Smaller? Find out from the schools you are interested in how big typically their classes are. The smaller classes tend to offer a more personal atmosphere for training where students have greater access to the instructors. Conversely, larger classes can be impersonal and offer little individualized instruction. If feasible, find out if you can sit in on a couple of classes at the Pleasant Grove UT dental hygienist school that you are most interested in in order to witness first hand the amount of interaction between students and instructors before making a commitment.

What is the Overall Expense of the Program? Dental hygiene colleges can vary in cost based on the length of the program and the volume of clinical training provided. Other variables, 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 significant costs 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 comparing the cost of colleges, don’t forget to include all of the expenses related to your education. The majority of schools have financial aid offices, so make sure to ask what is offered as far as grants, loans and scholarships in the Pleasant Grove UT area.

Are the Classes Convenient? Before enrolling in a dental hygienist school, you need to confirm that the hygienist or assistant program provides classes that fit your schedule. This is especially true if you continue working while acquiring your education and need to go to classes near Pleasant Grove UT at nights or on weekends. And even if you choose an online school, you will still need to schedule your clinical training classes. Also, while addressing your concerns, ask what the make-up policy is if you should have to miss any classes because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Attending Dental Hygienist School near Pleasant Grove UT?

Pleasant Grove, Utah

Pleasant Grove, originally named Battle Creek, is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States known as "Utah's City of Trees". It is part of the Provo–Orem Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 33,509 at the 2010 census.[3]

On July 19, 1850, William H. Adams, John Mercer and Philo T. Farnsworth,[4]Mormon pioneers sent by Brigham Young, arrived at the area now known as Pleasant Grove and staked out farms in what is now the southwest corner of the city. A small community was established September 13, 1850, consisting of George S. Clark and his wife, Susannah Dalley Clark, Richard and Ann Elizabeth Sheffer Clark, John Greenleaf Holman and Nancy Clark Holman, Lewis Harvey and his wife Lucinda Clark Harvey, Johnathan Harvey and Sarah Herbert Harvey, Charles Price and wife and child, Widow Harriet Marler and children, John Wilson, Ezekiel Holman, and possibly one or two others, relatives of those mentioned. Of note, Bro and Sis Reynolds in 1852 brought Ellis Reynolds Shipp to live, which Shipp became the legendary MD, Obstrician, and peditrician, through the young womens midwife training program of Dr. Richards and Eliza Snow, beginning her training in young womens MIA in pleasent grove.[5] Pleasant Grove was officially incorporated as a town January 18, 1855, by which time the settlement had grown to 623 people.

The original name of the city was Battle Creek. It was named for a battle which took place there in 1849 between Mormon settlers and a small band of Ute Indians, wherein all the male Utes were massacred because Brigham Young believed they had stolen some of his horses (which were found before the attack on the Utes occurred).[6] The settlers later decided they needed a more uplifting name and began calling their town Pleasant Grove after a grove of cottonwood trees located between Battle Creek and Grove Creek, near the current-day intersection of Locust Avenue and Battle Creek Drive. A monument with a plaque describing this battle is located at Kiwanis Park, at the mouth of Battle Creek Canyon.

During the Walker Indian War in the 1850s, citizens built a fort with walls two or three feet thick and six feet tall that occupied an area the size of sixteen city blocks. The settlers in the area at the time built homes inside the fort. While the fort no longer stands, memorial cornerstones were erected by local historians. The northeast monument was erected near the intersection of 100 North and 300 East streets. The northwest monument was erected four blocks west of that point at 100 West Street and the southeast monument erected four blocks south at 300 South Street. The southwest monument would have been located near 300 South 100 West, the area is now occupied by a large parking lot and retail store.

The location could not be found.

Enroll in the Ideal Dental Hygienist Program near Pleasant Grove UT

Selecting the ideal dental hygienist program is crucial if you intend to take the National Board Dental Hygiene exam or, if required in your state, become licensed. As we have covered, there are numerous alternatives available to receive your training and it takes a relatively short amount of time to become a dental hygienist. You can obtain your formal education through dental programs at junior colleges, technical institutes, trade schools and vocational schools. Graduates of these programs typically obtain an Associate Degree. Dental Hygienists generally require about 2 years of studies prior to entering the job market. When earning a degree you can elect to go to classes online or on-campus. Whichever mode of training you choose to pursue, by asking the questions presented in this article you will be better prepared to make the ideal selection. And by doing so, you will be ready to start your journey toward becoming a dental hygienist in Pleasant Grove UT.